


Not One Of Them

by ShipMistress



Category: How to Train Your Dragon (Movies)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Best Friends, Best Friends to Lovers, Cami is a friend, Deception, Emotionally-Illiterate!Hiccup, Everybody is stupid!, F/M, Hiccstrid-themes with Heathcup and Erestrid as temporariy sidebits, Manipulation, Modern AU, Mutual Pining, OMG The Relationship Drama, Playboy!Hiccup, Porn With Plot, relationship angst, relationship drama
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-21
Updated: 2018-03-24
Packaged: 2019-04-05 12:36:47
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 17
Words: 65,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14044410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ShipMistress/pseuds/ShipMistress
Summary: He is a playboy who can have every girl he wants. She is his best friend. What could go wrong?This is a Hiccstrid-themed Modern AU, inspired by Taylor Swift's album 'reputation'.Subtitle: Everybody is stupid!The main story is finished. There will be, however, further epilogues every now and then.





	1. Chapter 1

 

He was like a mountain lion, hunting his prey. Gracefully, he moved through the unsuspecting crowd, and she was unable to tear her eyes off of him. Even in the stroboscopic light of the nightclub, it was easy for her eyes to follow him through the throng. His tall figure and distinct mane of auburn hair were impossible to miss anyway. Every now and then, she imagined the light catching in his impossibly green eyes, flashing in her direction and it made her heart beat fast.

Of course, Astrid wasn't the only one who felt that way!

She noticed the eyes all over the room that were glued to him, some blinking shyly, others gleaming predatorily. The majority of the woman in the big hall – and also quite a few men as well – were quite aware of his presence! And she could hardly blame them. Hiccup Haddock was one Hel of an attractive devil and the worst thing was: he knew it. When he was hunting, like now, every woman could only hope to be the lucky one he picked as his prey for the night.

And right now, he was making a beeline for _her!_

Astrid's breath caught in her throat when he was only two steps away, making no attempts to slow down. He came impossibly close, invading her personal space, making her press up against the wall behind her. His intent eyes were burning into hers and she fought hard to keep her racing heart in check, to keep him from seeing how he affected her. He leaned forward, one arm against the wall beside her head, to whisper in her ear.

"You, Milady, are too hot for your own good," he purred in a low voice. "The things you make me want to do to you..."

_Oh, the things she wanted him to do to her!_ Astrid bit her lip and swallowed. She could feel his breath tickling her neck and it made the throbbing need between her legs impossible to ignore. But instead of giving in to him, like every other sensible person on this planet would have done, she gave him an unnerved look.

"Cut it out, Haddock," she sighed in half-fake exasperation. "You try that every fucking time we go out, it's getting boring!" _Liar!_ a silent voice inside her head screamed but Astrid ignored it.

Hiccup retreated back a step, and it was as if someone flipped a switch. "As you wish, Milady," he said and gave her the lopsided grin only few ever saw. It made her heart beat even faster. "But honestly, you can't blame me for trying. You _are_ hot!" He leaned toward her again but the erotically charged atmosphere from before was gone, even though he came closer than before and even pecked her cheek with those sinful lips of his. "See you tomorrow!" He winked at her before he turned to enter the dance floor once more.

Trying not to hyperventilate, Astrid gazed after him. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the stares she got. Like always. Those disbelieving looks she earned for turning _Hiccup Haddock_ down! If only they knew...

It hadn't been her plan for tonight. But after Hiccup's little joking ritual, nobody seemed to dare to approach her anymore tonight. So, for the better part of an hour, she just watched Hiccup _hunt_.

She watched him as he slowly made his way to the centre of the dance floor. She watched a small group of girls picking up their courage and dancing up on him. She saw the moment when he decided on one of them, a cute girl in a green dress and with a crazy mess of curly red hair that had to be artificial. She watched them dance- or whatever their rubbing their bodies against each other counted as. She watched as the girl suddenly turned and stretched, stealing a kiss from Hiccup.

Astrid smirked, and muttered to herself, "Too bad, cutie. But you just lost him. He doesn't do kissing... Haven't you heard?"

And, as expected, a minute later, the red-head stood alone, disappointment clear on her face. Astrid couldn't help but feel complacent. These stupid girls never seemed to learn...

Astrid watched the girl disappear to the back of the room where the bathrooms were while now one of her friends had taken her place as Hiccup's dancing partner. Another pretty girl with almost white skin and platinum blond hair, braided into a thick plait. She wore a light blue dress that sparkled like ice, just likes her eyes and Astrid couldn't help the painful sting in her heart.

_That could be you, silly goose!_ the silent voice inside her head screamed at her and Astrid bit on the inside of her cheek to silence it. She kept her eyes on Hiccup and the blonde girl, watching them _dance_. She watched his hands roam over her body and watched her eyes flutter shut with pleasure. She watched him press his leather covered crotch against her behind and watched her head fall back against his shoulder in response. And half an hour later, Astrid watched Hiccup lead her away, toward the cloakroom where he would pick up his black leather jacket, the two helmets and whatever the girl had handed in earlier.

With a sigh, Astrid stared at the non-alcoholic Caipirinha in front of her. It wasn't as if she hadn't known how this night would proceed. After they'd finished their latest assignment, she and Hiccup had gotten ready to head off to the club, just like on most other nights. And just like always, their declared goal was to relax, have a little fun and find some hook-ups.

_Find_ might be the wrong word though. Because, of course, Hiccup didn't need to look hard for a partner. He was ridiculously handsome and his reputation as fantastic and responsible lover did the rest. It never took long before he had the attention of _those_ girls and only had to pick. No surprises there.

Astrid wasn't even surprised he'd tried to hit on her first. Or fake-hit, she should say. It was kind of a ritual, an in-joke. He would try and she would turn him down. Because Astrid was not one of _them!_ She and Hiccup were flatmates, co-workers, and best friends. They shared everything, except a bed.

Not that Astrid wouldn't want to... Hel, she was dying to get her hands on his leather clad ass, to feel his talented hands on her skin! But at the same time, she knew that wouldn't be enough. She was _not_ one of his interchangeable one-night-stands. She valued the bond they shared too much, and she wouldn't risk it just for sex. Because, despite everything, he was no boyfriend material, his soul too scarred for anything like love to flourish. Yet... And if she had to choose between his friendship and meaningless sex, she would always choose friendship.

Downing the rest of her drink, Astrid got up and made her way toward the exit. She could go to the dance floor as well and surely would find some cute guy or other to warm her bed tonight but she didn't feel like it. Not anymore.

She picked up her own leather jacket and helmet, paid the bill registered in the electronic bracelet she'd gotten and headed outside. As expected, she found her bike, a sleek and fast beauty she'd called _Stormfly_ , standing alone. Hiccup's black bike was gone from where he'd parked next to hers earlier. Trying not to think too much about what its rider was doing right now, Astrid kick-started her bike and headed to their flat, placing a bet in her head whether Hiccup and the blond girl would be there as well or whether they'd gone to her place instead.

She wasn't sure which option she desired more.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Hiccup made an effort to be as quiet as he could be. Slowly, he pulled the keys out of his pocket, holding them tight so they wouldn't ring, and carefully pushed the right one into the lock so there wouldn't be any scraping noises. All the while somehow juggling the two helmets and flat cardboard boxes. It was useless and he knew it, but he tried anyway. Astrid would hear him when he entered the living room at the latest, so what was the point in trying to be sneaky now?

He managed to open the door without being greeted directly by her death glare, and placed his load on the sideboard. Then he caught his reflection in the mirror on the opposite side of the room, and groaned. He looked horrible! His hair was a rumpled mess -- well, even more than usual - the shirt beneath his jacket was crumpled and sweaty, and his face looked worn out and tired. He hadn't slept well. Or much. Yep, he looked definitely well-fucked...

Sighing, he mentally prepared himself for her reaction. Not that he owed her any explanation. But he was late, it was past one in the afternoon already, and she would give him this quiet look of disapproval, and that was bad enough.

He still wasn't used to anyone caring what he did. His mother had died shortly after his birth and his father had never been much of a father at all. Always asleep or drunk or away. And when Hiccup had started to sassily answer him back at fourteen, he'd hit him. Hiccup had grabbed the saving book his mother had bequeathed him and had left his home to never return. Somehow, he'd managed school and college, working hard with part-time jobs - as to not use up too much of his fortune - and no time, opportunities, or inclination to befriend anyone. Until Astrid had become his co-worker two years ago. She was his first real friend and it mattered to him what she thought. She was important to him.

Very important!

After taking a deep breath and hanging his jacket on the wall hooks, he opened the door and stepped inside. He spotted Astrid on the sofa, her back toward him and apparently engrossed in a book.

"Hey," he mumbled sheepishly. "I'm back"

"Really?" came Astrid's snort. "I wouldn't have noticed. I hope it was worth it, at least!"

Yep, she was peeved. And she had every right to be. He was too late! And no, it hadn't been worth it... Sure, the sex last night had been alright. The girl had stamina, that much he had to grant her. But it hadn't been as... as _satisfying_ as it used to be. And, if he was honest with himself, this wasn't the first time he had felt that way. Something was missing lately and he couldn't put a finger on it.

But he didn't want to tell her that. She teased him often enough, saw right through him, saw that he was about to need more. And maybe she was right. Maybe he should try and look for something more solid. There had been this black-haired girl the other night who'd seemed nice enough and had suggested they could meet for a drink again or something. What had been her name? Well, he probably would meet her again at the clubs anyway and could pick her up on her offer then.

"Hello? Someone in there?" Astrid had turned around to glared at him. Right, they were talking...

"Uhm," he mumbled, still unsure how to answer. "Was alright. How was your night?" The wrong question apparently. Astrid just snorted and turned back to her book.

"I went to the grocery store earlier," she said instead of an answer and Hiccup winced. She'd sounded matter-of-factly but he knew her well enough by now.

"Yeah, sorry," he mumbled. "I know it's my turn this week. How about I make it up to you? You can pick the movies for the next two weeks, how does that sound?" He noticed how her lips twitched and relaxed a bit. Her taste in movies and shows wasn't so bad and letting her choose what they watched was a small price to pay for his letting her down.

"It's a start," she said reluctantly, but he knew the worst was over. "Ah, I almost forgot... I got you something from the drugstore. Behind you on the shelves"

Hiccup turned and spotted the condom box right away. Astrid was brilliant! He would have needed to get a refill soon, this would save time. But...

"Erm... thanks!" He called over his shoulder, striding back to where his jacket was hanging."But, ah... why did you do that?" he asked as he stored the foil squares away in various pockets of his jacket. Usually, he bought his own condoms. Sometimes he asked her to get them when she was going to the drugstore anyway, but for her to buy them on her own was new. Her answer was a bit unsettling.

"Because yours are used up?"

Well, she was right there, but...

"And... ah... how would you know that?" he called back, finishing up with his restocking.

"Right, how would I know..." she mumbled in a deliberately carrying voice, and, just as he stepped out of the entrance room, she called back "Because I can _count!_ Since you bought the last box, we've had five of them here and three times you were back only for lunch. And I have a fairly good idea of your consumption per night."

Grudgingly, Hiccup accepted her explanation. She was right after all. But the fact that she'd counted... well... He hadn't! Hearing it listed like that was a bit embarrassing. It hadn't been even two weeks since he bought the last box and it made him feel like a sex-hound. He definitely had to change something!

"And how do you intend to compensate your other wrongdoing? I'm starving!" she called.

Right, shopping duty included cooking duty as well and it was well past their usual lunchtime. This time, however, Hiccup was prepared.

"Really?" he said, purposefully repeating her words from earlier. "I wouldn't have thought," He left the entrance room, balancing the two cardboard boxes toward where she sat. "I hope this is alright then"

Astrid's face lit up as she spotted the pizza boxes from Carlo's Pizzeria, her favourites. When she gave him a wide grin as he flipped open the lid to show her favourite toppings, ham and tuna, he knew he was forgiven. That was how things between them usually worked. There was nothing that couldn't be made up for with a little talking, good food, and a comfortable film night.

"I'll just get a quick shower," Hiccup said while already opening his riding leather on the way to the bathroom. "You pick a movie, I'll be there in five"

Astrid picked one of her older DVDs, Doctor Who's _The Christmas Invasion_ , and Hiccup couldn't bring himself to regret letting her pick. The moment he returned to the living room, he got to admire her cute ass as she plugged in the DVD. Definitely a bonus of letting her pick. And he got to tease her about her thing about David Tennant, even if it was still disconcerting how creepily similar the man sounded to his abhorred uncle.

After they ate and finished watching, they got back on their work. Luckily, they were free to organise their working time as they saw fit as long as everything got done. Creative work could be nice like that, and they were employed by a graphic designs company reputed for top-notch work-and a great deal of that work was theirs. Their work varied widely: from composing posters and book covers to concept art and character designs for movies and games, with the occasional t-shirt or animation thrown in for spice. For both of them, it was a dream job; most of their creations were related to entertainment properties that they adored, and they could both be as finicky as the truest fans with getting all of the details right. Hiccup had playfully teased Astrid for a week solid once when she'd gotten the job to draw David Tennant last year and she'd had an outbreak of fangirling.

And they owed it to their job that they'd met in the first place. Astrid was good at getting an idea of what the client wanted and making quick first sketches. When the client was content with her idea, she gave those sketches to him, explained what was asked for and he used his skills to turn her sketch into a piece of art. It had worked well enough that the company had decided to turn them into a permanent working team.

Hiccup hadn't liked it at first, as he didn't want much to do with other people in general. But Astrid's open and direct personality had opened him up in short order. When she'd needed a new place to live after her old contract had been cancelled, it hadn't taken long before his joking offer to live with him had become serious. He didn't need the extra rent she paid but, he hadn't needed the extra room in his flat either. Now they were flatmates, the most successful working team the company had and best friends in their free time.

"Here, this is what they're asking for," Astrid send the picture she'd made earlier from her tablet to his monitor. "A T-shirt design for this kids' movie. It's mainly about friendship but you know how it works. There's this girl the hero had always been in love with and..."

Hiccup listened to her description, filing the information away for later and enjoying how animated she was about this project. Her eyes were practically gleaming as she explained the colour scheme the client wanted and what kind of mood it was supposed to emit.

"Alright, I think I get it," Hiccup finally said. "But shush! Out with you now, I've got work to do!"

Astrid gave him a playful slap on the back of his head. "Don't get cocky. And don't forget, we have a date later!" she reminded him and left his room.

Right, it was Wednesday and Wednesday was their weekly film night. With a smile, he got to work, knowing he would spend the night happy and relaxed with his best friend in his arms.

**. o O o .**

"Doctor Who _again_?" Hiccups asked disbelievingly several hours later, staring at the TV screen. Not that he really minded, it was fun to watch most of the times. But it was also fun to tease her.

"That's what you get for letting me wait!" Astrid replied, unconcerned, and reached for a leftover slice of her pizza from lunch. "Now, sit down here, I wanna see DT beating out a samba!"

Chuckling, Hiccup complied, sat down in his usual spot and had Astrid cuddled up to his side in an instant. "You and your DT. Admit it, you'd marry him if you could," he teased and Astrid pretended to honestly think about it.

"Maybe," she finally agreed. "But I can't help it, I have a thing for lanky dorks with unruly brown hair like him." She started the episode with a flourish, and he didn't get the chance to react to her comment.

As always, Hiccup couldn't help but notice her soft body nestled against his. The scent of her _desert rose-and-sandalwood_ shampoo wafted to his nose and her warmth radiated through their clothes and into his skin. And every now and then she would shift and even with his eyes closed he could have said where exactly her waist and her breasts were aligned with his body. His arm lay comfortably around her shoulders but it would have been easy to _let it slip_ , let his hand glide over her breast, waist, and hips to her ass instead. He wanted to! Gods, how much he wanted to do it...

And he could, he was fairly sure of it. He'd noticed how her eyes got darker and her breathing got faster sometimes when they played their usual fake seduction at the club. He was sure she found him attractive. It would have been easy to seduce her, and he knew it. He knew that, if he actually wanted to, he would have her! But every single time he started to make any attempts in that direction, she had turned him down, and quite determinedly. He knew that he could push it but, while he didn't care much about what most girls or most people in general thought of him, it _mattered_ to him what she thought.

And she was right. She wasn't one of _them_ , not one of those girls he picked up in the clubs and whose names he barely ever remembered. She was his friend and the bond they shared was the most precious thing in the world to him. He didn't want to risk that just for sex!

And yet... he wasn't able to keep his mind from wandering... and wondering. He dreamed of letting his hand glide beneath her clothes and to lazily stroke her to an orgasm while they watched TV. He dreamed of her above him, his hands on her hips and her bare breasts swaying while she rode him. And he dreamed of pinning her against the kitchen wall and fucking into her hot body while her fingernails tore into his back, the perfect mixture of pleasure and pain.

"Those claws are impressive!"

Hiccup blinked as Astrid's voice tore him out of his inappropriate thoughts. Trying to calm both his breathing and heart rate, he drew his arm back from her bare shoulder and stretched. He shouldn't think like that, shouldn't let those images linger and flourish in his mind. He knew he would never act on them anyway as long as she didn't consent and it didn't seem like she ever would.

"But remind me to never travel to Britain! To think their monarchs might all be werewolves..." Astrid chuckled and Hiccup chimed in shakily, all too glad that his mild erection wasn't too noticeable in his wide jogging trousers.

"Oh, but you would if it meant you could get your hands on that ass" he teased, nodding toward the TV where David Tennant and Billie Piper were making their way down a windy grassland.

Astrid gave him a weird look before she answered.

"I guess you're right," she murmured, blushing slightly. "I'd do a lot for that!"


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Astrid didn't mind Hiccup having sex regularly and if he changed his partners on a daily basis, that was his decision. She didn't own him, even if she often wished it were otherwise.

And in a more than just slightly perverted way, she didn't mind at all if he brought them here instead of going to their places. Because the walls were thin like paper and she could hear _everything!_

Right now, she could hear the girl over in his room moaning like a bar wench and Astrid knew it was futile to try to sleep before they were done. She closed her eyes, listened and shamelessly let her hand wander down between her thighs. None of her hook-ups lately had done the job so she was frustrated anyway. She might as well make the best of the situation she was in. And imagining what Hiccup did to draw those noises out of his girls always made for the best inspiration.

Astrid could hear Hiccup's low groans and the slapping of skin on skin and pushed two fingers inside her, matching his rhythm and imagining it was him. She heard the girl yelp and grabbed her breast with her free hand, rolling her nipple between her fingers, imagining Hiccup doing the same. She heard the girl begging for Hiccup to go harder, faster and she began to move her hips in time with the quicker slaps, imagining Hiccup kneeling behind the girl when her voice sounded muffled as if through some cushions. She heard the girl shriek and began to rub her clit vigorously, feeling the edge beckoning. She heard the girl scream, too loud and exaggerated, followed by Hiccup's low grunt and she imagined Hiccup thrusting into her until she could feel the condom swell with his cum and it was enough to follow them into her own bliss. Nothing but a low whine escaped her while her body clamped down on her fingers and her head rolled uncontrollably from one side to the other.

A minute later, Astrid lay still, dazed, in her bed and stared at the ceiling. There was a bit of commotion over in the other room as first Hiccup and then the girl went to the bathroom and then, finally, seemed to settle down to sleep. Astrid lay awake for a little bit longer, feeling guilty and hollow.

She was lying. Every time she turned Hiccup down, she was lying, to him and to herself alike. She wanted him, wanted him _bad!_ But she didn't dare to act on it. Maybe it was stupid, maybe nothing would change. Their friendship was so close, so strong, could a little bit of sex really harm it?

But then, Astrid knew herself, knew her feelings. She cared for Hiccup. She cared for him _deeply_. He was the closest friend she'd ever had and she loved the bond they shared. But if they added sex and turned it into some friends-with-benefits kind of thing... Astrid knew that wouldn't be enough for her! So she bided her time, hoping Hiccup would come around one day to consent to _more_.

**. o O o .**

No, Astrid didn't mind having Hiccup's girls in their flat. She even kind of enjoyed it. Aside from the nighttime entertainment, she'd turned it into a personal game to categorise them.

There were those to whom she had to grant remarkable sneaking skills. It wasn't hard to sneak away from Hiccup without him noticing in the morning, as he was a horrible morning person and general late riser. But Astrid wasn't and usually, she heard it when someone tiptoed along the corridor. But it happened occasionally that both she and Hiccup woke up wondering when his girl had left.

Then there were the funny ones. Well, funny for Astrid, at least. Those who managed to sneak away from Hiccup only to run into Astrid on their way out. She never got enough of their panicked looks, how they turned white or purple, stammering awkward apologies and hastily leaving the flat, sometimes not even fully dressed yet. Astrid never explained that she wasn't Hiccup's girlfriend, not to those.

Then there were the more courageous ones. Those who ran into her but didn't panic and stayed for a coffee or even for breakfast. In most cases, it was fun to talk to them. Astrid wasn't good at initiating small talk but these girls who stayed seemed comfortable enough to talk on their own. More often than not, Astrid ended up having a good morning when Hiccup trudged out of his bedroom, greeted his girl with a halfhearted wave and sleepily accepted the coffee Astrid had already ready for him.

Occasionally it happened that Astrid met one of Hiccup's girls more than once. But even that only happened with several weeks between the encounters and Astrid never even remembered their names anymore, much less what they'd talked about the last time.

And then, suddenly, there was Heather.

**. o O o .**

Astrid woke to the sun shining through her curtains, tickling her nose. She stretched and hummed to herself, still feeling satisfyingly relaxed from last night's self-induced orgasm. Hiccup's girl last night had been a screamer, too loud and over-exaggerated in Astrid's opinion. But who was she to judge, if the girl thought it necessary to convince Hiccup that she had enjoyed him...

Humming along to her current favourite song in her head - _Wonder how many girls he had loved and left haunted_ \- Astrid made her way to their kitchen. She would get herself one of their gigantic bowls full of coffee and then make herself comfortable on the sofa to go through their latest assignments. There were a few simple ones where she already had some clear ideas in her mind and only needed to get them down. But when she walked around the corner into the kitchen, she stopped dead in her tracks.

There was a girl in _her_ kitchen. Her black hair fell in long waves down her back all the way to her butt. Her legs were bare but her upper half was covered by one of Hiccup's t-shirts and Astrid wasn't so sure she like that sight. The girl was humming to herself and almost danced through the open room as she reached for one of the cups on the upper shelf and then turned to _her_ espresso machine!

"Morning!" Astrid said cooly, satisfied with the way the girl flinched. Then she turned, giving Astrid a radiant smile.

"Astrid! Nice to meet you again," the girl said cheerily and Astrid vaguely remembered her face.

"Ah... Heather, right?" Astrid said hesitantly. Dimly she recalled having seen her before, a week or two ago.

"Right!" Heather said, beaming. "But don't worry, I'll leave you alone to work this time," she nodded toward Astrid's tablet in her hand. "No chatting and laughing for hours. I'm just making coffee for me and Hiccup and will be gone in a minute."

A sly smile crept across Astrid's face. She glanced at the oven clock and fought back a smirk. It wasn't even 8 in the morning. Hiccup would hate to get woken up. Heather would find herself thrown out way sooner than the girl expected.

With a smug expression, Astrid sat down at the counter and accepted the mug of coffee Heather prepared for her. Usually, she considered turning into an axe-murderer if anyone but Hiccup touched her espresso machine but knowing that the girl would probably end up in tears in only a few minutes made her feel generous. The girl babbled on and on, not shutting up even once and Astrid remembered how annoying she'd been the first time already.

But Astrid also learned more about Heather in these minutes and decided that her generosity had been wasted on her. Because there was an additional category of girls. There were those who showed their true nature only days later when they met Hiccup again at the club and he acted as if he didn't know them. These annoying girls that always made a scene and whose tears only made Astrid grin. Those girls never seemed to learn. They acted as if they were something special because Hiccup had slept with them- as if he owed them anything. They yelled at him for not calling back even though Hiccup always made clear that he was looking for nothing more than a one-night-stand. And apparently, Heather had been one of those.

No, she hadn't made a scene, not really. But she'd approached Hiccup a couple of days after their night together, had flirted and effectively pushed aside the girl who had been at his side. From what Heather said and Astrid read between the lines, Hiccup hadn't cared either way and had spent the night with the black-haired girl again. That had been a few nights ago and this now had been their third night together.

Astrid's mood had darkened noticeably during Heather's monologue even though she tried not to let it show. What was this stupid girl thinking? That she was special? That Hiccup cared for her? That was hilarious! Astrid knew for a fact, that he'd had sex with at least four other girls in-between. Heather was nothing special to him. She was tempted to throw the truth into Heather's face, just to see her reaction, but managed to hold herself back. It would be even more fun when Hiccup told her off himself.

Honestly, what was this girl thinking? Humming and dancing and making coffee as if she belonged here, as if she was part of their life, as if she was anything else than just another one of Hiccup's meaningless girls, as if she wasn't one of _them_.

Astrid was glad when the girl was finally done and carried the two mugs back to Hiccup's room to wake him. Humming the same line in her thought as before, she sipped her coffee and opened her graphics program. Eagerly, she was waiting for Hiccup's door to open again and for a tear-streaked Heather to hurry past her and out of their flat. But none of that happened. Instead, there were other noises coming from Hiccup's room, noises that, for once, threatened to make her sick.

"Oh, Gods..."

"Ah! Love your cock!"

"Fuck, yes! I'm gonna – Hiccup! – I'm gonna c-" A shrill scream echoed through the flat and Astrid felt like she'd throw up any moment. Too loud and too exaggerated. But maybe she was good and the sex worth it, who was she to tell. It still didn't mean anything, she was just another one of _them_. It didn't mean anything if Hiccup liked fucking her, it was just sex.

Astrid kept telling herself these things over and over until her heart rate normalised again. It didn't mean anything... If Hiccup was looking for more than just sex, she would have noticed, right? Surely, she would have...

By the time Hiccup's door opened again, Astrid's lip and the inside of her cheeks were bitten raw and she was agitatedly walking up and down in front of the open kitchen counter. It couldn't be... mustn't be! She'd been fooling herself for so long but it was futile. She wanted Hiccup, wanted them to be more than just best friends. Maybe she should tell him after all, even if it meant risking their friendship. If would become horribly awkward if he didn't feel the same about her but she felt like waiting any longer might drive her insane. She would wait until Heather was gone and then... then she would talk to him!

Astrid heard the rushing of the shower and more doors opening and closing. Hastily, she sat down in front of her tablet again before Hiccup entered the kitchen.

"Morning, Astrid!" he greeted her with a warm smile that she was barely able to return. Instead, a lump was forming in her throat and she quickly dropped her gaze to her screen again. She didn't saw Hiccup frowning and shrugging.

"So, you two had fun I guess?" she said, more acidly than intended but she couldn't help it.

"Can't complain," Hiccup replied and she could practically hear him shrugging. Astrid didn't react, just scowled at her tablet and jumped as two lean arms wound their way around her waist. "What, you don't like her?" he asked teasingly against her neck and Astrid tried not to hyperventilate. "I thought you two might be BBFs by now. I was under the impression you enjoyed your conversation the last time. She's a lot like you."

"I'm nothing like her!" Astrid hissed with more venom than intended but Hiccup just chuckled. He retreated, turned her around on the rotating bar stool and then came closer again. He leaned heavily on her armrests, his eyes burning into hers and his face only an inch or two away from hers.

"You're right, you're not like her," he hummed and for a moment Astrid thought he would kiss her. It was a stupid thought because Hiccup never kissed anyone... but for just a second... she thought his gaze flickered down to her lips.

But it was instantly back on her eyes and, surely, she'd just imagined it.

Instead, he lifted his head a moment later and pressed his lips to her forehead. It should be innocent, a friendly gesture like all the other times he did similar things but it wasn't. It made Astrid's blood boil and her heart swell, threatening to burst her chest. "You will always be my favourite!" he murmured.

Astrid gasped out something between a sob and a laugh but the sound got drowned out by Heather's voice.

"Am I interrupting something?" the black haired girl asked and Astrid began to hate her. Why couldn't she just leave and be gone? Couldn't she see that she and Hiccup were having a moment?

Hiccup retreated, neither hastily nor slowly. "Naw, just some friendly bickering," he said lightly, but Astrid noticed the nasty look Heather gave her as Hiccup led her to the door.

From her seat, Astrid could see through the open door to the entryway. She could see both of them as he saw her off.

"See you soon then?" Heather sounded hopeful. Astrid wanted to ram an axe into her stupid face. As if...

"Yeah, I guess so," Hiccup answered and Astrid's heart made a painful leap. Did he intend to see her again? She'd thought... There was an awkward moment of silence when Heather stretched and apparently waited for something and Astrid began to hope again. If the stupid girl was waiting for a goodbye kiss, she was so-

Hiccup leaned down and kissed her.

_Hiccup!_

_Kissed!_

_Her!_

Hiccup kissed Heather and Astrid felt her heart breaking. He never kissed anyone! Him doing it now... This was serious! Heather! What he had with Heather was serious, not just sex but more.

Astrid barely registered how he came back, cheerily turned on the stereo to her playlist and then started warming the stovetop. She just stared down at her mug of coffee. The coffee Heather had prepared for her. The thought made her sick!

"So, how about breakfast?" Hiccup asked grinning. "I'm awake early, you might as well make use of that. Bacon and eggs?"

But Astrid couldn't speak. She just kept staring at her mug as Taylor Swift's voice turned to her favourite part.

_In the middle of the night, in my dreams_

_You should see the things we do, baby_

_In the middle of the night, in my dreams_

_I know I'm gonna be with you_

_So I take my time_

_Are you ready for it?_

Her _former_ favourite part!

She'd been so sure. She'd been so sure she and Hiccup would be a couple in case he ever was looking for more than just sex. It would have been so easy! Living together, working together, loving each other. So simple! She'd taken her time and waited. She'd been ready for it.

But now it seemed like she'd waited too long.

Slowly, she glided off her stool and reached for her tablet. "No, thanks," she mumbled and stumbled past him, back to her room. "I lost my appetite."


	4. Chapter 4

_Hey, I'm at Tesco's. Do you want me to get something for you?_

It was kind of a ritual. When Hiccup was about to spent the night at Heather's, he went shopping on his way toward her and then would ask if she wanted anything. And she always did! It was cute, he supposed. Their... _thing._ Hiccup didn't really get it when Heather explained it to him but that was true for many things concerning their relationship.

And it wasn't as if he couldn't afford it. His mother had left him enough money. Technically he didn't even need to work, and probably wouldn't have if he hadn't loved his job so much. But it was strange nonetheless. Astrid had always insisted on paying her own bills even if he would have taken over hers gladly.

Patiently, he waited for Heather's order of the day. What would it be today? Some expensive liqueur? Or pralines? Or was her perfume used up? Her requests were a bit eclectic sometimes and he'd stopped wondering by now. But when her reply came, it surprised him nonetheless.

_Sorry, love._

_I totally forgot! You can't come over today, I'm not at home._

_I need to help my brother, he's gotten into some mischief again._

_C U soon. XXX_

Hiccup frowned at his phone, but then just shrugged and walked over to the till with his shopping. That was another thing that was strange in some way. Shouldn't he be sad not to see her tonight? Or disappointed at least? Hiccup felt none of that. Instead, he felt elated. Maybe he could spend the night with Astrid on their sofa for once again, simply watching a movie or two. It had been ages since the last time they'd done that. Or just talk, chat a bit. They hadn't talked at all lately, even though Astrid seemed like she desperately needed to talk about something. She was so gloomy all the time, not laughing or joking like she used to.

Hiccup knew that was his fault, though. He barely had any time for her anymore, ever since he'd started to ser Heather regularly little over a month ago. That was another thing on his list of weirdness; he didn't understand why Heather disliked Astrid so much and didn't want him to spend time with her. She was his best friend; wasn't he allowed to spend time with his best friend? But Astrid had just given him a small smile when he'd addressed that topic. _A girl has the right to be wary of her boyfriend's female best friend_ , she'd said and had left him standing. And she had become even more reclusive ever since.

 _Boyfriend_ though... Another thing on the list. He hadn't planned to throw himself into a solid and exclusive relationship right away. When he'd thought about trying _something_ _more solid_ , he'd thought about seeing a girl more regularly, get to know her and get accustomed to the idea of a relationship without too many rules to start with. But Heather had just rolled her eyes at that and had explained to him how a relationship worked. It was new and complicated but he wanted to at least try and not ruin everything right away.

Although, by now he wasn't so sure it had been a good idea to try it with Heather. She was alright, pretty and nice but also a bit annoying sometimes. He didn't mind spending his free time with her even though spending it with Astrid had been more fun. And the sex... Well, the sex was great, he couldn't deny that. But it still felt like something was missing and hadn't that been the point of a relationship? To get rid of that feeling in particular? Well, no success there...

He wanted to talk about it all with Astrid. They used to talk about stuff like that! But there was a distance between them lately, one he didn't like but also one he couldn't get rid of. Well, maybe tonight was the night that they could fix that! Maybe they could finally talk.

When Hiccup parked his beloved _Night Fury_ next to Astrid's _Stormfly_ , he couldn't suppress a smile. So she _was_ home! She'd said so but she could have changed her mind and go to the club after all. She'd done so frequently lately, with or without him and Heather.

Grinning good-humouredly to himself, he all but skipped up the steps to their flat. He unlocked the door and got rid of his leather jacket before he heard the noises. Deep and obviously male grunts, the distinct slapping of skin on skin, and beneath those noises Astrid's low and soft whimpering and gasping. Fuck, she had company. Literally...

And based on the fact that he could hear them this clearly here in the entrance room, they had to be in the living room, directly on the other side of the entryway door. That left him only two options. He could wait here until they were done and pretend not to be here or...

Hiccup opened the door to the living room and stepped inside. He'd intended to simply walk past them, unnoticed if possible but couldn't help but pause when he saw them. Well... saw _her!_

He could see Astrid's bare upper half behind the backrest of one of their sofas as she apparently rode some bloke beneath her. The guy was hidden from his view but the little Hiccup saw, was enough. Astrid was bouncing up and down, head thrown back, eyes closed and her body covered in glistening sweat. A few strands of her hair had become loose from the thick plait on her back, now sticking enticingly to her neck and he couldn't help but stare at her. She was beautiful like a Goddess, even more so than he could have conjured up in his wildest dreams. The sight made his blood boil.

Then she suddenly stopped, eyes wide and a shocked expression on her face – as she stared at him!

"Hiccup!" she screeched and froze, followed by some grumbled protest from below her.

"Erm...hi...," he muttered and averted his eyes after all. "Ah... Don't let me disturb you. I'll just... erm... go and..." he made some indistinct gestures with his hand and fled past them and the kitchen toward the corridor that led to his room. The moment the door closed behind him, his hand was down in his pants, stroking his throbbing cock. Gods, she was personified perfection! So beautiful and sexy and... and _Astrid_!

Through the paper-thin walls and the rush of blood in his ears, he could hear voices, low and murmuring but still perfectly comprehensible.

"Was that the guy you told me about?" came a deep voice from the other room. "Your friend?"

"Yeah..." Astrid sounded uncomfortable. "But he shouldn't be here"

"So what?" The bloke's unconcerned voice. "Ah, hey! What are you doing, honey?"

"I need to talk to him!" Oh, Hiccup was fucked!

"Without any clothes on?" The guy sounded disbelieving now and Astrid's only answer were some mumbled curses.

Hastily, Hiccup fixed his pants and pretended to be busy getting off his riding leathers when Astrid entered his room without a knock. She had a thin blanket wrapped around her body, to his utmost relief and disappointment alike, and gave him an unreadable look.

"Hey!" she finally breathed insecurely.

All Hiccup could do was answer with the same awkward, "Hey."

"You're back early," Astrid pointed out after a pause and Hiccup nodded.

"Yeah," he replied lamely. "Heather kind of stood me up. Has to help her brother or something." He shrugged. It didn't really matter anyway, he wasn't capable of thinking about Heather right now.

"I see," Astrid whispered, awkwardly averting her gaze. "I... I'm sorry for that just now! I didn't think you'd come back and..." She bit her lip and Hiccup couldn't help a warm feeling spreading through his chest.

"Hey, it's okay. It's not like similar hasn't happened the other way around already," he joked, trying to cheer her up. He didn't want her to feel uncomfortable. Not with him! But then another thought occurred to him and he frowned. "I just... didn't you say you want to spend the night at home? Where did he come from? It's a little early to be back from the club already." At that, a fierce blush spread over Astrid's face and it would have been endearing under different circumstances.

"Erm, right," she started hesitantly. "See... Ahm... His name is Eret. And he... well, he's kind of... my boyfriend."

"Your... _what?_ " Disbelievingly, Hiccup gazed at here. "When did that happen?"

"Yeah, I... I wanted to tell you earlier already. But there never seemed to be the right moment so..." She trailed off and threw him an apologetic look.

"But... how..." Hiccup sputtered. He'd thought he knew what happened in her life! And now she had a boyfriend? Why hadn't she told him?

"Well, we met about... a week ago," Astrid began hesitantly. "He approached me in the club one night. You and Heather had already left and... and it just... seemed to click. We talked for hours about movies and shows and music and so on. It was fun! And he didn't even want sex. And then he called me right the next day, asked whether I wanted to meet him for a drink and... and you know how I hate it when guys unnecessarily hold me in suspense, so I agreed and we talked for hours again before we spent the night in his flat and... and..." Her cheeks were bright pink now and her eyes gleaming. Somehow, Hiccup felt awful but he didn't want to let her see that. She seemed genuinely happy and he didn't want to ruin that for her. It had been a long time since he'd seen her smiling like that after all.

"Hey, that sounds great!" He said with more enthusiasm than he really felt. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" But Astrid gave him no answer to that, just looked at him strangely with a smile that didn't seem to reach her eyes. Then she shook her head, turned and left his room without another word.

Hiccup stared at the closed door for a while. He was happy for her! He wanted her to be happy! And if this guy- Eret, that was his name- made her happy, then he was happy, too! He told himself this over and over, but couldn't shake off the uneasy feeling that tainted his thoughts. He wanted to be happy for her, but couldn't.

Without really knowing why, he groaned in frustration and flung his leathers into a corner. He needed to calm down, to think. Why was he so upset all of a sudden?

Then the thought struck him. A shower! Maybe he would be able to think clearly again after he'd taken a shower. Making sure Astrid and her boyfriend were safely in her room now, he went to the bathroom and firmly locked the door.

The hot water was soothing and relaxing. For several minutes, Hiccup stood with his head resting against the tiled wall and let the stream run down his back. She had a boyfriend and that was good! He made her happy! Why was it then that he couldn't stop thinking about her? How she'd looked at him, not really smiling? How she'd come into his room, effectively naked beneath that thin blanket? The sight of her when he'd entered the living room...

Oh, sweet Freya... This image alone served to make him painfully hard in an instant and he couldn't help but reach for his pulsing cock. It had always been kind of a dream, one he'd hoped might come true one day. Seeing Astrid bouncing up and down, breasts swaying with her movement and her dark blue eyes locked on his as pleasure consumed her. His hand moved faster up and down his shaft and it took an embarrassingly short amount of time until he came, painting the tiles in hot white stripes. With an ashamed whimper, he sank to his knees a moment later, burying his head in his arms as the water cascaded over him. But it didn't manage to wash away the guilt.

He'd always barred himself from using her as inspiration to whack off. Yes, she was hot but it was still wrong. She was not one of _them_ , one of those girls he just had sex with. She was his best friend and she deserved better than this! And she had a boyfriend now, he had no business lusting after another man's girlfriend. And, almost as an afterthought, he had a girlfriend, too. Shouldn't he rather picture her?

Groaning and with a considerable amount of self-contempt, he fought himself back on his feet and cleaned up the mess he'd made.

The obvious one, at least.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

"A double date?" Heather asked indignantly and Hiccup crouched down behind his bike to hide his grimace.

"Yeah. Think about it as our three-months-anniversary, if that helps," he replied, reaching to check on a loose-looking part. It would need replacing soon.

"But... with whom?"

She sounded reluctant, but Hiccup didn't really care. He didn't even bother to look up from checking his bike as he answered, "With Astrid and Eret." Obviously. Who else would he want to go with anyway?

"What, are they bored of each other already?" Heather sneered, and Hiccup was once more reminded of how unpleasant and annoying she could be.

"Of course not," Hiccup sighed. Although, for all he knew they could be. He had barely talked to Astrid at all during the last two or three weeks. "But Astrid is my friend, remember? I want to spend time with her, too, and this is the easiest way. Neither you nor Eret needs to be offended or worried or jealous, because you'll be _there!_ " The last words were dripping with sarcasm, although he meant every word. He didn't really know about Eret and Astrid, but he at least hadn't ever given Heather any reason to be jealous. That one time he'd whacked off with Astrid in his mind had only been an... accident...

Hiccup could practically feel that Heather wasn't happy about his idea but he also knew she wouldn't dare to say anything against it. He knew by now that this so-called _relationship_ he had with her wasn't anything serious. It was... comfortable in a way, but only so long as Heather kept her antics to a minimum. He'd thought about breaking up already but Heather had started to cry and had begged him not to. So he hadn't... yet. Sex with her was still great and he was used to not feel more than physical satisfaction. But the idea of breaking up was there and he _would_ do it if she gave him a good reason.

"Alright," came her reluctant answer. "And what are we going to do?" She didn't sound thrilled.

"We're going to the cinema," he declared, smiling to himself. He couldn't deny that he was looking very forward to this _double date_.

"The cinema?" Heather snorted. "As if we'd ever find a film that would interest us all. Hel, we can't even decide on one for the two of us!"

"Right," Hiccup got up and wiped his greasy hands on an oil-stained towel. "Your beloved arthouse films and Eret's gore-fests, that would never fit. That's why I already decided on one. Thor: Ragnarok. I'm dying to see it and it's almost done in the cinema." He couldn't help the small smile that crept across his face. Usually, he and Astrid would have watched it right on the first day if... _circumstances_ hadn't prevented that. He was glad they would at least watch it together now.

"Uh, really? You and your comics..." she jeered but that didn't hit him, not anymore. He just didn't care what she thought of him. "But alright, ask Eret and Astrid if they are on board," she asked flatly. She was probably hoping they wouldn't be...

"No need, I already texted with Astrid about it. She's thrilled and is talking to Eret right now," It had been a weird chat, being the first conversation longer than a quick back and forth they'd had in... what... Days? Weeks? And even though she'd been hesitant at first, it had just felt so _right_ to be in contact again.

"You already talked to her? Without asking my opinion first?" Heather crossed her arms in front of her. "Then it's settled already anyway. I don't have a choice at all!"

"Of course you have a choice," Hiccup said, smiling sweetly. "You don't need to come along if you don't want to. I wouldn't mind if you're not interested." And he meant it.

And that was why Heather agreed to accompany him.

**. o O o .**

When Hiccup parked his _Night Fury_ in front of the cinema and waited for Heather to climb off her seat behind him, Astrid and Eret were already there. He couldn't see them but their bikes were parked next to his so they couldn't be far. And he was right; the moment he and Heather entered the foyer, a leather-clad Astrid came squealing and running toward them and had her arms around his neck a moment later.

"You're here! I can't believe it. We really made it. Oh, I'm so happy that this is really happening. It's been ages since I saw you. Ah, come here!" Astrid was happily babbling like a waterfall and even hugged Heather in greeting as well, who seemed to turn to stone for a second. Hiccup watched her with a wide grin. This was the Astrid he was used to and it was wonderful to see her like this again. And he couldn't help it, he had to tease her.

"Someone's high-spirited, I see. You're not allowed to drive drunk, remember?"

Astrid just poked her tongue out and winked. It seemed like Eret was good for her after all. Hiccup did have his doubts about that after she'd become even quieter, more subdued, and almost depressed after a few weeks. And then he hadn't seen her at all anymore. It had been jinxed, they never were home at the same times anymore. Either she was at Eret's or he at Heather's. She even had to send her work-sketches and the instructions by email! They literally hadn't seen each other in over a week now, despite the fact that they were still living together.

Hiccup noticed a tall figure stepping behind him and turned to greet Eret as well. He still didn't like the man but if he made Astrid this happy then he couldn't be such a bad guy. However, the look with which Eret watched his girlfriend right now was more patronising than indulgent, if not downright disdainful.

"Don't look at me like that, Haddock," the tattooed man scoffed. "She's never weird like this. Must be this place. I wonder what they're putting in the air here..."

Hiccup's smile became a little forced. So it wasn't Eret who'd put her in this good mood after all...

"Come on!" Astrid tugged at his arm, effectively tearing him out of his thoughts. "Whoever's first at the till gets to pick the seats!" And off she dashed, giggling helplessly and he followed her a second later. Of course, she won, there was no question. She'd had a head start and was the better runner anyway. But none of that mattered when the till girl gave them a baffled look as they leaned over the counter, half-laughing and half-gasping for air and tried to order their tickets.

"Two for Thor," Hiccup blurted out reflexively before he remembered. "No, four. Four tickets, please."

"Last row in the middle. I don't want anyone to throw popcorn at me!" Astrid giggled and Hiccup had to suppress a grin. No-one was allowed to throw popcorn at her, mainly because it disturbed her aim when _she_ did it! The till girl gave them a bemused smile and carefully handed the tickets over – Hiccup paid for them all - as Heather and Eret finally caught up with them.

"Okay, what's gotten into her? She's even loopier than usual..." came Heather's depreciatory comment when Astrid skipped ahead to get popcorn but Hiccup wasn't listening to her. He just gazed after Astrid, feeling more lighthearted than in months.

.-.-.

Once they'd taken their seats, Astrid became calmer again. Heather had pulled him along and down next to her, cuddling into his side as much as was possible with the armrest between them. Hiccup let it happen as he didn't want to make a scene here but still wished she would let go of him. This was not a film through which he wanted to cuddle.

At least not with her...

Astrid sat on his other side which had earned her a deadly glare from Heather, but Astrid seemed to have decided to ignore her. It wasn't as if Astrid did anything to challenge Heather anyway. She just sat there next to him, Eret's arm possessively around her shoulder and suddenly it felt like they were separated by hundreds of miles again.

It felt... weird. This first half-hour down in the foyer had felt normal, like always, like how it used to be between them. He'd even kind of forgotten Eret and Heather were even there. But now this barrier was between them again. The film began and all he wanted was to lean closer to Astrid, comment on Odin obviously being Loki or nudge her teasingly when the 177A Bleeker Street paper appeared.

But he couldn't. Heather held him tight and Astrid leaned against Eret on her other side. It put kind of a dent in the whole cinema experience, even though he still enjoyed it. It was a great film, after all! After half an hour, he noticed how Astrid's free hand lay on the armrest between them and acted practically on instinct. Pretending to reach for his coke then _remembering_ it was empty already, he laid his arm next to hers.

They weren't touching. Astrid pushed her arm a little closer to his but there was still at least a millimetre between them. He could feel the warmth radiating from her skin but not her touch. And it was slowly driving him mad. It felt like they were electrically charged, with a billion tiny needles pricking into his arm. It hurt somehow and yet he wasn't able to pull his arm away. He barely registered what was happeneing on the screen anymore; all his attention was directed at the tiny space between them. He didn't even fully notice when Heather got bored and started to let her hand wander up his leg suggestively. It didn't matter.

All that mattered was Astrid beside him and the careful non-contact they kept.

When the film was over and the lights went on – way too early, as usual. This was a Marvel film, for Thor's sake! – they both retreated their arms before either Eret or Heather could comment in any way. Absentmindedly, Hiccup rubbed his arm. It felt sore and raw in a way he couldn't fully explain... and when he looked up he noticed Astrid doing the same. Over this mutual gesture, she gave him a long look that seemed to speak volumes he just didn't quite understand.

She didn't say another word. They left the cinema hall and bid their farewell, Hiccup driving with Heather to her flat and Astrid and Eret to he didn't know where.

But even until late into the night he thought he could feel the non-contact they'd shared on his right arm.

**. o O o .**

Astrid was confused. Well, no. 'Confused' was too _weak_ a word to describe how she felt, but it was the best one she had available. Absentmindedly, she rubbed her left arm, which still seemed to burn from _not_ touching Hiccup for over an hour.

He'd been so close...

It was hilarious, considering how close they used to be, in all ways, emotionally, socially and physically as well. But even now, over an hour later, she still could think of nothing but how close they'd been to touching each other.

No! She was over him!

It had taken her a couple of weeks of hidden crying and internal hurting but now she was over him. Hiccup hadn't wanted her as his lover and Astrid had accepted that by now. She'd moved on. She was with Eret now. She was happy.

She kept telling herself these words over and over until her heart calmed down again. She would _not_ drown herself in misery _again!_

"Are you coming, honey?" Uhg, if only Eret would just stop calling her that. She'd told him she didn't like this pet name, but he didn't seem to care.

"Yeah, in a minute," she called back and looked at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She was the same strong person she'd been this morning. Seeing Hiccup again, laughing and having fun and _almost touching him_ didn't change that!

But it had been fun. It had been so good to see him again!

"Ah, there you are!" Eret exclaimed with a devious grin when she entered her bedroom. "C'mere, beautiful!" He reached for her hips and pulled her down over his, letting his greedy hands wander beneath her shirt in an instant. But Astrid didn't feel like it.

"Not tonight," Astrid murmured distractedly and made attempts to climb off his lap again. But Eret held her firmly in place.

"Where do you think you're going?" He asked with a broad grin that didn't look friendly at all. "Honestly, you owe me after making me watch that childish film! Gods, it was horrible! Do people actually pay to see something like that?"

"I told you, you didn't need to come along," Astrid said defensively, not in the mood to explain that she'd loved it. Or... probably would have loved it if she'd register the film at all. Once more, she felt Hiccup's burning closeness on her arm and struggled again to get out of Eret's grip.

"Right! And leave you alone with that creep. Honestly, have you noticed how he looks at you? Like you're his favourite snack. I wonder why Heather puts up with him."

"I'm pretty sure he wouldn't have eaten me alive," Astrid replied dryly. _Oh, but she wanted -_ No! Blushing, she chased that thought away, glad that the relative darkness around them would hide her reaction. She didn't want to think like that anymore.

"Whatever," Eret said dismissively. "But now to more interesting topics. You wanted to get rid of that shirt!"

"I said not tonight, Eret!" Why did he always have to push it...

"But-"

"No!" She put more vigour into struggling free of his grip and, finally, he let go of her.

"Fine!" He exclaimed exasperatedly. "I'm not tired. I'm going to watch a film or something," he added after a short pause and was out of her bed and her room a moment later.

Astrid couldn't bring herself to regret it. She didn't care whether he would go and whack off to some porn on his phone or do something else now. It wasn't like she would miss out on anything exciting anyway.

She lay awake for a long time that night, studiously trying to ignore the prickling sensation on her arm and not thinking about Hiccup at all.

And her arm continued tingling.

_Well, fuck!_

Gods, she missed him! Their carefree banter at the cinema today had reminded her of what it was exactly she was missing, their easy joking and laughing, their uncomplicated friendship. She'd build a wall between them to protect her bruised and broken heart but now it seemed like she'd hurt herself only more by that action.

It was stupid anyway. Why shouldn't they be friends anymore just because they had someone else to warm their beds? It wasn't exactly different from how things had been before. Maybe they would need to include Heather and Eret but that should be manageable. Somehow... She would text Hiccup right away in the morning she decided as an idea popped up in her mind.

And for the first time in weeks, she fell asleep with an honest smile on her lips.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

"Remind me again, why are we doing this?" Eret sounded unnerved and Astrid sighed.

"Because it's going to be fun, okay? We just want to have fun together. Chat a bit, eat delivered pizza, play some games, watch a film. Fun!" Astrid liked her idea to do something together at least once every two weeks. It wasn't the same as spending every day with Hiccup like they used to, but it was at least _something_.

"Right, fun," Eret muttered. "Just as much fun as the last time. Please tell me Haddock isn't picking the film again! Not sure I can stand more of that idiocy..."

"I don't think he will," Astrid said calmly, trying not to grimace. "We're going to take turns so either you or Heather are to pick one for tonight," In both cases, they would end up with something awfully boring, though in completely different ways. But if that was the price Astrid had to pay for having Hiccup and his friendship back in her life, she would take it.

She made the last few steps up to their flat and angled for her keys when she heard Eret mumble almost incoherently behind her.

"She definitely owes me for this..."

**. o O o .**

"Alright, I give up! You got me. I won't be able to escape again," Hiccup leaned back and ran his long fingers through his hair as he stared at the board between them. Astrid smiled to herself and reached for the playing pieces to put them back into their box. "But I never thought you'd get that close to Buckingham Palace. Weren't you afraid of werewolves?" Hiccup threw his _criminal_ meeple at her but she caught it easily.

"I'd do a lot to catch you," she said and poked her tongue out at him before she placed the Scotland Yard board into its box as well and closed the lid. "I'd even face werewolves to recapture you!" His answering grin was dazzling. Astrid had been right. So far, this night had been a lot of fun.

"And I'd find you everywhere anyway," Heather stated smugly, placing a kiss on the loser's cheek and he gave her a pained smile.

Astrid averted her gaze and stood up to put the game back into its closet. She still didn't know how to feel. She kept telling herself that she was over her infatuation for Hiccup. That she was happy with how things were right now. She had Eret after all and no reason to pine for anyone else. He might be an idiot occasionally but also could be gentle and chivalrous. But she still didn't need to like watching Hiccup and Heather exchanging caresses, right?

"Does anyone want to eat the last slice of pizza?" Eret asked and, when everybody shook their head, reached for it.

"Naw, go ahead. I'm pigged out!" Hiccup slumped down on one of their sofas. "A film would be perfect now. Have you decided yet on which one it's going to be?"

"I'm still for _The Sorcerer's Apprentice_ ," Astrid threw in and couldn't help grinning. "Honestly, you've got to hear that, it's hilarious!"

"Noooo," Hiccup howled. "It's not hilarious, it's creepy! Although, the musical tesla coils are cool. And the ring! I'd definitely take that dragon ring!"

"You so would!" They shared another knowing grin until Eret had chewed up his pizza.

"I'm for _Naked Blood_ ," He threw in. "It's awesome, I'm telling you. An oldie but a goldie. I'd even hold _your_ hand if you're afraid, Haddock."

"No, it's my turn!" Heather gave them all a stern look. "It's a surprise. And you're going to love it!" She turned toward the DVD player and Astrid scowled. She was pretty sure that she wouldn't like whatever Indie film Heather had picked. Reflexively, she wanted to sit down next to Hiccup but Eret pulled her over to the other sofa and made them comfortable there, lying down behind her and placing his arm around her waist. Right...

The film began and it was as awful as she'd feared. Some French family drama with an awfully boring plot and awfully awful dubbing actors. After twenty minutes, Astrid decided it wasn't worth her attention and honestly couldn't blame Eret for thinking the same. And yet...

"Eret!" she hissed under her breath as his hand wandered to her rear and up beneath her skirt.

"What?" he breathed back, mischief clear in his voice. "I'm dying of boredom! Do you really want to be responsible for my death? Besides, you owe me, remember?"

"It's still-" Astrid bit her lip to suppress a low gasp as she felt him caressing her through her briefs. She felt him chuckle quietly behind her as he kept slowly moving his hand and Astrid had to close her eyes. Honestly, worst timing ever! What was he thinking? Yes, she kind of owed him for making him endure this film and yes, it was definitely better than actually watching it but still... what if anyone noticed?

Her eyes flew open and her gaze landed on the other sofa where Hiccup and Heather lay in a similar position as she and Eret. Except Heather was actually riveted by the film while Hiccup's unmoving gaze-

_Rested on her!_

With wide eyes, Astrid stared at him. Judging by his stony expression, he clearly knew what Eret was doing right now. She squirmed in an attempt to make Eret stop but he just moved more purposefully.

"Be still and quiet, honey," he whispered, obviously unaware of Hiccup watching them and kept going. He was good with his hands, that much she had to grant him if nothing else. It didn't take long for her body to react to him, even though she didn't want it to.

Astrid glanced back at Hiccup as her pants grew wet and Eret slipped a finger beneath the fabric. He was still watching her and Astrid was unable to tear her eyes away from him. All the time, his expression barely changed. He just looked at her with that empty face, no judgment or accusation in his green eyes, only a weird hollowness while Eret slowly stroked her higher and higher. She didn't dare to move or make any sound, just lay there staring at Hiccup staring at her. Not even once one of them looked away or closed their eyes, not even as she climaxed and wave after awful wave of unwanted pleasure rippled through her body. Astrid didn't look away as Hiccup witnessed her coming on another man's hand and it was horrible.

When he was done, Eret pulled his hand away, wiped it off on her skirt and brushed her neck with his lips. "You're welcome to return the favour later," he whispered. Only then did Hiccup finally blink, averted his gaze and closed his eyes a moment later and Astrid couldn't help a lonely tear running down her cheek.

**. o O o .**

She couldn't sleep.

That night, Astrid lay awake for hours, staring unseeingly at the ceiling and feeling... Nothing? Too much? She didn't know.

They hadn't exchanged many words anymore. When Heather's awful film had ended, they'd all pretended to be tired and had gone to bed, for the first time actually all four of them in their flat at the same time. Without any resistance, she'd sucked Eret off when he'd asked her to, while Heather's fulsome moans had echoed through the walls toward them.

After that, it had become quiet. Eret had been asleep in an instant, as always, and Astrid had been tired, too. But her heart wouldn't stop racing and her mind wouldn't stop rotating. What had that been? Why had Hiccup looked at her like that? What had it meant? And why hadn't he tactfully looked away, had pretended not to notice? What did it matter anyway? It shouldn't matter. Hiccup had seen them fooling around. So what? Why did that upset her so much, why did it make her feel so awful? He knew that she and Eret had sex. After all, he had already run into them once. It shouldn't matter.

But it did, and Astrid couldn't say why. She was over him, for Freya's sake! She shouldn't worry what he thought about her.

She turned around to her side, trying to find a comfortable position and finally get some sleep when she heard it. Some movement from the other room again, incomprehensible mumbling and the rustling of fabric. A minute later, she heard Hiccup's low groans and she couldn't stand it. She didn't want to listen, didn't want her mind to conjure up images of Heather with her _pretty pout_ around Hiccup's cock. She stood up, threw on her dressing gown and went to hide in the bathroom.

Astrid sat down on the edge of their bathtub and turned on the shower. It helped to drown out any noises coming from Hiccup's room... but not her thoughts. They kept circling around him and she couldn't help it. Why had he looked at her like that? What had he been thinking at that moment? And later, when he'd barely been able to look her in the eyes, what had been on his mind then? Surely, right now he wasn't thinking much at all Astrid thought bitterly. She wrapped her arms around herself and bit her lips to fight back the tears that threatened to escape her. What in Odin's name was wrong with her?

"What?"

Heather's loud exclamation was audible despite the rushing water, and Astrid perked her head up. There was a bit of a riot, more shouting and other noises, so Astrid turned off the water and stepped into the corridor. And right into Heather's path.

"Out of my way!" The black-haired girl snarled and shoved her aside, hard. Astrid stumbled in surprise and surely would have fallen to the ground if Hiccup hadn't caught her. Stunned, she stared after the other girl, not comprehending what was happening.

"Yeah, that's about right," Heather scoffed as she reached the corner at the end of the corridor and glanced back at them. "Take your little bitch, you pathetic hypocrite! Maybe Eret doesn't mind to share her but I won't stand for that!" She threw them a last hateful glare and then she was gone, the door to their flat slamming shut behind her a few seconds later. For a short moment, both she and Hiccup just stared after her.

"What was that?" came a sleepy voice from behind them as Eret left her room, rubbing his eyes and not wearing anything. They both looked up at him before Hiccup retreated his hands from her arms and made a cautious step away from her. He gave her a weird look before he turned to where Heather had left just now. Hesitantly, he scratched his neck and with a half-bewildered and half-guilty expression on his face mumbled...

"I think... Heather just broke up with me..."

**. o O o .**

As if in a trance, Hiccup stepped into his room and closed the door behind him. What a night! He wasn't able to comprehend it all yet, felt weirdly dazed after hours of lying awake and from post-orgasmic hormones still racing through his body.

Heather was gone. His girlfriend had broken up with him but somehow, he didn't care. Uncontrollable laughter bubbled up inside him and he didn't bother to suppress it. After the weeks of pondering whether he should break up with her or not, now she had broken up with him? After she'd tried to persuade him for so long that they were right for each other? It felt weirdly surreal.

Not, that he hadn't given her a damn good reason to do it... Gods, he was an ass!

Hiccup reclined on his bed above the covers, stared at the ceiling, and tried to put some order into his head. Watching Astrid orgasm had kind of unhinged his world. He'd seen literally hundreds of girls caught in the throes of pleasure and somehow had assumed it would always be the same. Thrilling and arousing, but still always the same. Heather had been the same. But watching Astrid had been different and he couldn't say why.

Maybe because it had been not for him. It hadn't been his hands that had pushed her over the edge, hadn't been for his eyes to see. Watching her had been kind of forbidden and dirty and that surely had its appeal.

But somewhere deep inside him, Hiccup knew that this was not what made the difference. It had been Astrid. It had been watching _her_ that had made it special. It had been watching her that had kept him from getting hard for Heather later and had made him go down on her instead. It had been watching her that had kept him awake for hours afterwards and had tormented him with unwanted fantasies. It had been watching her and those fantasies of her that had made him hard after all and had made Heather want to _help_ him by sucking him off. And it had been watching her that had made her image appear in his mind as he came and had made him gasp out her name like a prayer.

And, of course, Heather was gone now! Not that he blamed her. And yet... he couldn't bring himself to regret it, either. He'd even offered to drive her home but she'd declined and had called her brother instead. She was not his concern anymore.

And neither was Astrid.

For a short moment... for that short moment, before Eret had spoken, he'd thought... He'd felt at ease, as if everything was as if should be. For a short moment, he'd held Astrid in his arm and it had felt just _right_!

But Eret _had_ spoken...

And now, she was back in her room. With her boyfriend. And Hiccup didn't even dare to think about what that one moment might have meant. Because Astrid was with Eret and Hiccup had already ruined one relationship tonight. He didn't want to ruin hers as well.

Hiccup lay awake for the rest of the night, feeling hollow and desperate without knowing why.


	7. Chapter 7

 

Hiccup closed the door behind Heather's brother and sighed. The redhead had been here to get her things back. Things she'd listed for him with the _order_ to pre-pack into a box so her brother could just pick it up and be gone again. Things that Hiccup had bought at her request, actually, and therefore weren't really hers. But he had no patience to argue about it. He was just glad that, after nearly two weeks, this was finally dealt with now. Heather was history.

He walked over into the kitchen to get himself a glass of water before he would, finally, go to bed. Heather's brother's working time had meant he'd only been able to drop in at an almost criminally late hour. Or something like that... Hiccup drained the glass in a few gulps, placed it in the sink and turned –

To almost run into Astrid!

His heart made a painful leap at the sight of her and he quickly averted his eyes. Even in her dressing gown, she looked gorgeous and he fought hard to keep his breathing at a normal pace. As always lately, he couldn't look at her without remembering how she'd looked that night, how her eyelids had fluttered as she fought to keep looking at him and how her lips had been slightly parted without letting out the slightest noise. It was an image he would never be able to get rid of no matter how hard he tried and it made dealing with her impossible. He could already feel the blood pooling in his lower belly. If he stayed she would notice his erection in a minute at the latest and that was something he definitely did not want to happen!

"Hey!" she greeted him. He met her gaze and regretted it; there was the same pain and confusion in her eyes as there always was these days. He felt sorry for fleeing from her whenever she approached him but he just wasn't able to deal with her. Hel, he wasn't even sure what exactly it was he felt for her! All he knew was that he had no right to covet her like he did and that he had to keep his distance until he knew how to deal with that.

"Hey!" he muttered a low greeting in return and tried to brush he brushed past her. She reached out and got hold of his arm, however, effectively keeping him from running away. Her touch burned like a brandishing iron into his skin and he inhaled sharply. Heat and lightning surged through his body, and it was somehow both wonderful and terrible.

"Hiccup, wait!" she pleaded. He wanted to tear his arm free and escape into his room but at the same time didn't want to hurt her further. It wasn't her fault that his mind had become so twisted, after all. "Please, can we talk for a moment?"

Hiccup dropped his head, nodding in defeat. It was futile though. She just wanted her friend back and Hiccup doubted that was an option anymore. He didn't want her like a best friend should... Carefully, he glanced up at her but as always, the image of her face with those big sad eyes and tightly pressed lips got overlaid by another one. Glassy eyes staring at him and dry lips parted. With a gasp, he looked away again immediately. He couldn't stand it!

Astrid let her hand drop off his arm and made a step backwards. "I..."

"Honey? Why are you not asleep? Where are you?" Eret's voice echoed through the flat and Hiccup couldn't believe how relieved he was to hear the other man's voice.

"I'm here!" came her reply in a small voice and a moment later, her boyfriend stepped around the corner, his eyes narrowing when he saw Hiccup.

"Hey, why are you up this late?" he asked, his voice concerned and caring as he laid an arm around her shoulders. He wasn't the bad guy he wanted him to be, Hiccup reminded himself. Eret cared for Astrid and wasn't that what he wanted for her?

"I heard some noises and got up to look what was going on," she murmured. "But it was just Hiccup."

The _just_ stung...

"Yeah," Hiccup agreed, mainly to distract himself. "Heather's brother was here just now to get her stuff."

"I see," Eret said, eyes still narrowed as he glanced at the door and then back at Astrid. "But let's get back to bed, honey. It's late!"

Reluctantly, Astrid nodded and let her boyfriend lead her back to her room. As they were about to round the corner, Eret looked up again and threw him a spiteful look.

**. o O o .**

Hiccup didn't like Eret.

It wasn't because he was Astrid's boyfriend, no. He kept telling himself that he would like her boyfriend if he was likeable at all. Although, sometime he even could be. Eret could be sweet and kind when he wanted to. He cared for Astrid, made her coffee and coddled her. But he could also be an ass.

Hiccup wasn't sure whether Astrid noticed that, though. Every now and then, he caught the man throwing her unnerved looks when she was busy with something else or rolling his eyes in annoyance when she said something he thought was silly or when she sang along to a song on the radio. Those small things that Hiccup liked about her, like her getting excited about a song because it had one line of lyric that made her think of a book or a film or that fit to any part of her life.

But then, maybe those could be annoying to some. Maybe it was just him, maybe he was just biased. Maybe he just wanted Eret to be the bad guy, so that he could talk Astrid into leaving him in good conscience. Maybe she really was happy, as she claimed to be, and it was just his twisted mind that perceived her to be sad and gloomy all the time.

Hiccup just didn't know. He didn't know what to think anymore and he didn't know what he wanted. He wanted Astrid to be happy and she said she was. And at the same time, he wanted to push her down onto the sofa and play with her body until-

No!

Gasping, Hiccup tore his thoughts away from those images. Why was it so impossible to keep from thinking about her that way? Yes, he'd always had those faint ideas about her but lately, they had become horribly persistent... as well as horribly detailed.

**. o O o .**

That night, Hiccup lay in his bed and stared at the ceiling while a small part of him wished that Heather was here as well. Not because he actually missed her, but because she would have been able to distract him. Or even better, headphones. If only his headphones hadn't broken the other day. Then he could listen to music, loud enough to drown out the other noises. But both options were out of his reach and there was no escape. He had no other option but to listen to Astrid and Eret in the other room.

It was embarrassing!

On the one hand, it was kind of embarrassing that he knew so well how Astrid sounded during sex. But _Hel_ , their sex lives had been active enough and they also lived together long enough, he was bound to know this!

He knew that she was a quiet one. She never screamed or moaned exaggeratedly. The only sounds she made were quiet gasps and small whimpers when she enjoyed a good foreplay, low yelps or soft keening in between and maybe a single short, high-pitched cry when her orgasm was too strong for her to keep quiet. He knew all this from listening to her getting fucked by random guys over the months and he could tell that Eret didn't do the job!

All he could hear now were Eret's disgusting grunts which sounded by all means like a humping pig. And the distinct slapping of skin on skin. But it had started far too quickly right from the beginning without any changes in angle or pace and after an embarrassingly short amount of time, Hiccup heard Eret whimper.

"Fuck, yes! I'm close, honey. Gods, your body is awesome!"

Astrid hated being called _honey_. Or any pet names in general. She'd only indulged his _Milady_ because she knew he meant to tease her and nothing more. But shouldn't her boyfriend know that? Or shouldn't he make sure that his girlfriend enjoyed them having sex, too? Shouldn't he realise that her occasional _orgasms_ were fake, that her acting was embarrassingly obvious? Shouldn't he know what she liked? Hel, even Hiccup knew what she liked! Like how sensitive her collarbone was, how she sometimes liked to get restrained, and also how she liked to get bitten? Hiccup knew all that, she'd told him so, back when they'd still talked...

If he were in Eret's place, he knew what he would do. Almost despite himself, Hiccup started to imagine it...

He would play her slowly, with his hands and mouth only for a while. He would kiss and lick and nibble at her ear, her neck and especially her sensitive collarbone. He would wander down slowly, listening to her soft gasps and restraining her writhing beneath him, just a little, just enough to let her feel him. He would caress her breasts carefully, drawing slow circles around them, only marginally closing in on her peaks. And only when she arched up to him would he actually touch them, flick, pinch and roll them between his fingers, and use his mouth to lick and bite them with exquisite care.

He would place his knees between her thighs to keep her from closing them for relief from the stimulation. He would let his hands wander slowly from her breasts over her ribs and stomach, over her hips and down her thighs to her knees. Then he would slowly drag them up again, pausing before actually touching her, in order to watch her tremble in anticipation. He would watch her face when he finally touched her, carefully exploring her with his fingers, making sure she was wet and ready.

Then he would get into position above her. He would spread her legs wide and then, slowly, oh so slowly, press into her. He would relish the feeling of her around him, hot and wet, before he would begin to move. Slowly, in and out, grinding into her to hit all the sensitive nerves inside. He would study her until he knew how and where to hit her best. He would increase his speed and pressure gradually, in order to let her feel everything and every moment. He would lean forward so that he could bite into her neck or her shoulder to draw one of those precious little moans out of her. And he'd continue until she was a writhing mess, until she couldn't speak anymore and only could _try_ to beg for relief. And only then would he go for the full speed, hard and fast thrusts to thrill her, to let her whole body tremble and shake until a little rubbing or pinching on her clit would be enough to let an orgasm ripple through her that surely would make her cry out helplessly...

Lost in his imagination, Hiccup hadn't noticed that he'd been stroking himself... until that moment.

"F-fuck!" Hiccup gasped as he spilt over his hand and stomach. Those mental images made for an unusually quick orgasm, far more intense than ordinary whacking off had any right to be.

He stared at the ceiling, trying to catch his breath and also trying to comprehend what was happening to him lately. Why it was that thinking about his best friend got him off quicker and harder than actually having sex with his ex-girlfriend ever had? Why it was that he didn't miss her at all when only one day without Astrid felt like a waste of time? It didn't make any sense!

Sighing in frustration, Hiccup reached for the baby wipes on his nightstand to clean himself of the worst mess and then headed for the bathroom. He wouldn't be able to solve this problem now but he definitely needed to do so soon!

"Ah, I see you had some good entertainment!"

The deep voice and the mountain he ran into as he was about to enter the bathroom tore Hiccup out of his gloomy thoughts. Eret stood in front of him, grinning condescendingly when he saw the incriminating stains on Hiccup's shirt. _Shit!_

But denying anything was futile so Hiccup tried for cool and unperturbed and shrugged. "Can't complain!" he said with the same nonchalance as when Astrid had asked him after his nights... before... He still didn't understand what made him react so strongly but he surely wouldn't talk about it to Eret,of all people.

"Me neither!" the other man said, grinning derisively. "She's quite a nice bit of stuff!"

Hiccup gritted his teeth and dug his fingernails into his palms. It wouldn't do to punch Eret. Or, well, it might feel good, for a moment at least. But Eret weighed easily twice as much as Hiccup and that surely was no beer belly or any excess fat on his arms. If Hiccup punched Eret, he might not survive the echo. Oh, but he wanted to right now! Calling Astrid barely more than a good fuck... This arsehole didn't deserve her! Astrid was so much more, such a wonderful and funny and brilliant person!

She deserved better. And if only she would see that...

**. o O o .**

Hiccup's gaze rested on the shelf with the new Blu-Ray publications and felt his heart sink. _Thor: Ragnarok_. He wanted to buy it... But he couldn't. No, he could... and would! But he wouldn't be able to watch it, not yet. Even though he hadn't noticed much of the film back when they'd watched it in the cinema, he wouldn't be able to watch it now, not without thinking about Astrid. And trying not to think about her was the whole point of watching a film lately. He reached for the case and threw it into the trolley nonetheless.

"Hey, H!"

Hiccup looked up, searching for the voice's owner and felt a smile creep over his numb face. _Crazy T_ , one of the DJs in their... in _his_ favourite club, jogged down the aisle toward him. He had a wide grin on his long face and his blond dreadlocks were flapping around wildly as he lifted a hand in greeting.

"Hey, T. Nice to see you, how are you?"

"Great! I'm getting chocolate for my sister. She's in a horrible mood... Her time of the month, you know?" The lanky man chuckled but Hiccup just grimaced. Even the mention of PMS reminded him of Astrid... "But that's not... I just spotted you and I wanted to thank you again for recommending me, this job is great. Honestly, fooling around with music while hundreds of people listen in and even getting paid for that. Best job ever!"

Hiccup smiled again, his lips barely moving. "Glad to hear you like it." He turned to get his purchases toward the till and T followed.

"But how are you? I haven't seen you at the club in ages!" he babbled on. "You're not going anywhere else, are you?"

"No," Hiccup replied. "I just... I don't know, I wasn't in the mood, I guess"

T raised an eyebrow. " _Not in the_ _mood_? You? Did some girl finally cut your balls off then? Loki knows, there are enough who've threatened to do it!"

 _If only_ , Hiccup thought bitterly. His life would be so much easier right now without that part of his body pointing in the wrong direction.

"Aaaanyway..." came T's renews attempt when he didn't answer. "How's A? Haven't seen her either"

At that, Hiccup scoffed. "She's fine. With her boyfriend probably"

"Her boyfriend?" T sounded surprised and Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"Yeah, her boyfriend. Surely you've seen them together? That muscled mountain with the eye-catching chin-tattoo?"

"She's still with Eret?" T frowned and Hiccup nodded mutely. "That's weird. I could have sworn I saw... Ah, might have been someone else. You know how guys on the dancefloor all look the same from above"

But Hiccup had stopped and grabbed T's shoulder. "What did you see?"

**. o O o .**

With a sad expression on her face, Astrid looked around their living room. No. Around _Hiccup's_ living room. There was no _them_ anymore... She wouldn't be able to keep living here for much longer. So far, Hiccup hadn't said anything... but then he hadn't talked at all to her since that night and, honestly, that said enough.

She had no idea what exactly it was that put him off. Eret getting her off there in relative public? Or her staring at him? Or something else entirely? Astrid didn't know. All she knew was that he wasn't even able to look at her, much less talk to her. Them living together couldn't continue like this, so she would have to move out.

She just had to decide whether she would look for something on her own or would just move in with Eret. She didn't really want to do that... But renting a flat just for herself was horribly expensive and also stupid when the reason she had to move out was her boyfriend anyway.

Well, she wouldn't be able to make a decision while sitting here! She needed space and air. Making a quick choice, she got her riding gear from her room, the black leather with the custom-made stripes in yellow and blue that matched her _Stormfly_. She would take a scenic run to clear her head and think before getting over to Eret's for the night. Maybe that would help her make a decision.

Astrid was just about to leave the flat when she heard the key in the lock and then the front door burst open with a loud _BAM!_ A moment later, Hiccup burst into the living room, fuming and eyes blazing. His gaze landed on her and when he noticed her riding gear, his face turned into an angry mask.

"Where are you going?" he demanded and Astrid made a surprised step backwards. Never before had she seen him like this.

"I'm going for a ride," she said defensively. "And then to Eret's. We won't pester you tonight."

"No!" Hiccup's face turned even darker. "No, you won't go to him! Not ever again!"

Now it was on Astrid to get angry. "Oh?" She asked challengingly. "And why not? Just because you decided to talk to me again?"

_"Because he's cheating on you!"_

Never before had Hiccup yelled at her like that and Astrid rocked back, more because of his tone than his words.

"What?"

"I just met Crazy T. He saw him at the club the other day. When you were sick with PMS and he said he couldn't come over because he had _stuff_ to do, remember? Apparently, _stuff_ wore an enticing red dress!"

For a second, Astrid just gaped at him. Then she snorted.

"Are you out of your mind? Crazy T? _Crazy T_ told you this? And you believed him? He's called crazy for a reason, remember?" This couldn't be happening... They'd never argued before!

"Oh, don't be so blind, Astrid!" Hiccup went on. "It all fits! He's never really cared for you, was just looking for a hot fuck. He said so-"

"Oh, he said so? When, Hiccup? When did he say so?"

"Well," Hiccup became more hesitant. "He didn't use those exact words, but-"

"Right!" Astrid interrupted him. She glared at him for a moment and then shook her head, fighting back tears of rage. "I can't believe this is happening. Eret was right..." Hiccup stared at her in confusion and she continued. "Eret predicted you would make up some story to separate us. Some male ego thing. I didn't believe him, thought you were better than that. But, apparently, I was wrong!"

"Why would I make up something like that?" Hiccup asked in bafflement and Astrid couldn't hold back anymore.

"Because you're jealous!" She yelled. "You're jealous because Heather broke up with you while Eret and I are still happy. You can't stand that Eret might be a better man than you so you make up a story to discredit him!" She was panting now, rage and hurt and disappointment racing through her mind. Never had she thought Hiccup could be so petty!

Now it was on Hiccup to rock back and stare at her with wide eyes, his lips moving without forming any words. "Jealous?" he finally whispered and shook his head uncomprehendingly. And then it happened.

He made one hesitant step toward her. Then two more, quicker steps and was on her in a heartbeat. His hands reached for her cheeks, cradling her face as he pressed his lips to hers.

Astrid's mind stopped working. She welcomed this touch she'd craved for so long, moved her lips with his and couldn't help the low whimper vibrating in the back of her throat. Her left hand fluttered up to land on his hip, desperately holding on to him.

_SLAP!_

The sound rang loud and clear through the room and Hiccup's head rocked to the side when her hand hit his face. He stood unmoving in front of her, eyes wide and lips still slightly parted, just staring unseeingly to the side.

Shocked, Astrid made one step back, vigorously shaking her head before she ran past him, grabbed her helmet in passing and she was out of the flat a second later.

Once outside, Astrid hurried down the steps. Not far though, just far enough to not be visible from their door anymore. She slowed down, ultimately stopped and slumped down, back against the wall.

_What in all of Odin's gallows-gung names had just happened?_

Her trembling fingers fluttered up to touch her lips. The lips Hiccup had just kissed! This wasn't happening! Not now, not when she was finally getting over him!

Suddenly, the sound of a door opening was audible and Astrid clutched her hands over her mouth to keep her breathing from being too loud. She didn't want him to find her here. She didn't want him to see her like this! She didn't want to see him right now! She needed to... The door closed again and she let her shaking hands drop. _Shaking hands_...

_All of this silence and patience, pining and anticipation_

_My hands are shaking from holding back from you_

A mixture of uncontrollable laughter and sobbing bubbled up in her throat as those lines popped up in her mind. _Really?_ Even her favourite music was mocking her now? But it was too true. She'd waited too long, silently and patiently, had too long pined for him in anticipation. She couldn't go back now, could she? Oh, but she wanted... She wanted to go back upstairs and kiss him stupid, not stopping until they both passed out. Maybe she should...

But she couldn't do that!

Slowly, Astrid pushed herself back up on shaky legs and went downstairs to where her beloved _Stormfly_ was waiting for her. She would do what she had planned. She would go for a ride to clear her head, would think it through. Then she would go and talk to Eret. Whatever the outcome of her pondering, she owed him the truth. He probably wouldn't be home yet but that was no issue. Surely the slightly deranged flatmate of his would open the door for her and then she could wait in Eret's room for him.

Feeling better with having something of a plan, Astrid kick-started her bike and drove away into the afternoon.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

For a while, Astrid drove around aimlessly.

Her head was too full to get any order into it; it was all just chaos. The sensation of Hiccup's lips on hers still vibrated through her entire being and it was all too much. She couldn't think about that, not right now!

Instead, she tried to think about what he'd said. She hadn't been able to do so before, had been too caught up in the moment, too angry and too disappointed. Eret had been right. He'd predicted that Hiccup might come up with a story like that, had warned her. He'd explained it was a typical pattern when one of two friendly couples broke up, but Astrid hadn't believed him. Hiccup wouldn't come up with lies just to ruin her relationship, she'd thought. He wasn't like that! But Eret had prepared her for it, had begged her not to fall for it and now it had happened.

She'd been so angry and disappointed, and seeing Hiccup so completely untypical to his usual calm behaviour had only confused her further. But now... She _knew_ Hiccup! And if there was one thing to know about him then it was that he never lied. He was no saint by all means but he never lied. And surely, that was still true, right? Surely Heather hadn't corrupted him so completely. Surely Hiccup wouldn't lie to her just to-

The honking of a car behind her tore her out of her thoughts for a moment and with a start she realised that she'd been standing still at these street lights for a couple of minutes now. Driving while being caught up like this in her thoughts was the first thing they told you _not_ to do in motorcycle class, calling it a complicated way of committing suicide.! Pushing all her thoughts aside for the moment, Astrid concentrated on the street again until she reached one of her favourite spots. A cliff atop the harbour on which stood a big stone. She parked in the lee of the stone and sat down on a low rock facing the sea.

No, Hiccup wouldn't lie. Especially not to _her!_ Their friendship had suffered a great deal during the past three or so months but she didn't want to believe that it had been completely destroyed like this. She had to believe that he was still the same inside, that he was still the friend she knew and cared for. She didn't want to believe that he purposefully lied to her. But what did that mean?

Well... she didn't want to _believe_ him, either! Stuff like that happened to others, all the time. But surely not to her, right? Surely she would have noticed if Eret was lying to her, right? Suddenly feeling cold, she wrapped her arms around herself. Did she really believe that? Or was it just that she didn't want to believe the alternative? That he was cheating on her? Things between her and Eret surely weren't perfect...

Not like they'd been between her and Hiccup, before...

Without her help, her thoughts drifted back to Hiccup and to the kiss they'd shared. It had been a real one, not just one of his friendly pecks. Astrid thought she could still feel his soft and warm lips moving with hers, feel his nimble hands on her cheeks, holding her and cradling her. She could still feel the stubbles on his jaw scraping over her chin, felt his breath on her face, the warmth of his body beneath her hand. For so long, she'd waited for this to happen and it had been even better than she'd ever imagined!

And yet, it couldn't have been worse!

Four months! It had taken her almost four months to accept that he didn't want her. She'd fought so hard to get over him, had fought so hard to try and imagine a future with Eret instead. And yet...

If she was honest with herself, then she didn't want to spend her entire life with Eret! He was alright for now but definitely not someone she could live with for long. And Hiccup's kiss and her confusion afterwards had proven at least one thing.

_She was not over Hiccup!_

And maybe she never would be...

Astrid made a decision while she sat there in the cool wind, the ocean brine in her nose and unseeingly gazing at the sunset. She couldn't put into words what she felt for Hiccup right now. She'd been so angry at him earlier and yet...

And yet... she longed for his easy smiles and his arms around her. She longed for his jokes and sassy comments. And she longed to feel his lips on hers once more. She didn't know what exactly she was feeling but she was definitely feeling _something_ for him. Something strong!

And it _clearly_ was more than she felt for Eret!

Slowly, Astrid stood up and mounted her bike again. She wasn't sure where things with Hiccup might go. Or if they would go anywhere at all. But she realised keeping up her relationship with Eret was futile when she longed for someone else. She wasn't sure how he would take it, especially after Hiccup had done the exact thing Eret had warned her off. But it weren't those accusations that made her want to break up with Eret. For all Astrid knew, Crazy T probably had mixed him up with someone else. The muttonhead had a chicken as a pet, for Thor's sake!

While she drove through the oncoming night to the flat Eret lived in, Astrid planned what she wanted to tell Eret. Nothing about Hiccup's accusations, those were irrelevant to her. She didn't believe them. And nothing about the kiss either, Eret would just take it the wrong way. No, she just would tell him that her feelings had changed, that she didn't feel like their relationship would go anywhere. That she was sorry but that she didn't feel like keeping their relationship up would be the right thing to do.

Yes, that sounded good.

And then she would drive back to their flat and talk to Hiccup. And if he still tried to avoid her, she would _make_ him talk!

She parked her bike in its usual space under the carport near the entrance and walked up the stairs. After she'd rung the bell, Eret's weird but friendly flatmate opened her, just as expected.

"Astrid!" he greeted her in surprise. "Didn't expect to see you here so soon," The redhead frowned and laid his head on the side, clearly thinking about something.

"Hey, Dagur!" She replied with a smile before his flaming hair actually began to smoke. "I know, I'm a bit early. But I need to talk to Eret as soon as he's back. I'll just wait in his room if that's okay,"

Dagur gave her a confused look but then shrugged. "Sure. Come in," he mumbled and stepped aside to let her in.

**. o O o .**

Hiccup had never understood why people cared so much about kissing. In his opinion, it was just gross, just pointless exchanging of saliva and bacteria. He'd never liked it when one of the girls he picked up in the club had tried to kiss him until it had even become some sort of deal breaker for him.

Smaller pecks were different; they were okay when used as a greeting or a friendly gesture on the cheeks or the forehead. Or kisses during sex on practically all other parts of the body, that was different, too. But the mouth? Not for him. He'd tried it with Heather, as it was part of being a couple, in a way. But he still hadn't liked it and eventually, she'd stopped trying.

Slowly, Hiccup lifted his hand to run his fingers over where he could still feel Astrid on his skin. It was the first movement he made since she'd slapped him. His cheek was still burning but he didn't care. Carefully, almost reverently, he ran his fingers over his lips. They were burning, too, and it felt like the warmth was spreading through him to pool in his chest.

Kissing Astrid had been different. After she'd accused him of being jealous, his mind had begun to run riot. Because she was wrong! He wasn't jealous of their relationship and surely not because of Heather. He'd never actually cared for her after all. But she was also right, he'd realised. He was jealous. He was jealous of Eret because he had Astrid as his girlfriend and didn't even appreciate it. He didn't deserve her! Hiccup wanted her to be with someone who cared for her, someone who would make sure she was happy. He wanted her to be... _with him_!

He'd _wanted_ to kiss her! He couldn't say why or where that thought had come from. But at that moment he'd wanted nothing more than to kiss her. And it had felt so right. For a short moment, it had been perfect, light, like flying through purple clouds, like he could never get enough.

Had she responded? Had she returned his kiss just for that short moment? He still could feel her lips moving with his and could hear that soft whimper she'd made. That sound alone would probably haunt him forever! And her hand on his hip... Slowly, Hiccup laid his hand on where he could still feel Astrid's fingers digging into him and the memory shot like lightning through his body, making his cock pulse hungrily.

Groaning, he shook his head and tried to return to the here and now. She was gone! She'd broken the moment, had slapped him and was gone. Whatever it had been they'd shared for that moment, she hadn't wanted it and now was probably on her way back to that idiot.

From one second to the other, Hiccup moved, hurried to the entrance door and flung it open. Maybe he could still stop her! He had to talk to her, had to _explain_ , the kiss and what T had told him alike. But the hallway was silent, no footsteps hurrying down the stairs. She was gone already... He closed the door again and leaned his head against the cool wood.

" _Fuck._ "

The curse came as a low gasp, desperate and forlorn. What had he done?

Slightly dazed, he walked back into the flat, wandering about aimlessly for a while. Studiously, he began to stow away the purchases from earlier into the cupboards, to tidy up and finally to adjust the cushions on the sofa, all while his head was running in circles.

He'd kissed her. And it had felt _right_.

And she'd responded. And now, she was gone.

"FUCK!" he yelled at the empty room. What was he supposed to do now? Just sit here and wait for her? Wait until she came back and hope she would be in the mood to talk to him, to listen to him? What would he tell her anyway? That he was sorry? He wasn't! He wasn't sorry for telling her what T had told him and he _definitely_ was not sorry for kissing her. He would do it again if he could, right now.

"Man, what is _up_ with you?" he murmured and ran a hand through his hair. He was confused. There were so many things he'd wanted to do to her, to do _with_ her, but kissing had not been a part of that... up until now. But those lips... Hiccup closed his eyes and bit his own as the memory of hers so soft and warm resurfaced once more.

And what if she wouldn't come back?

 _No!_ No, she would definitely come back! Maybe not today; she'd said she wanted to spend the night with that arse again.

That thought made Hiccup angry. That Eret might actually be _cheating_ on Astrid. He had no proof, no name, just what T had told him. Just how he'd seen a man and a woman making out in one of the darker corners of the club. No crime, that happened all the time. And T hadn't even been convinced that it had been Eret. He'd assumed it, but couldn't be sure. But it fit. Deep in his guts, Hiccup was sure that it was true. There had been too much show and bravado in Eret's behaviour, like he was acting all the time, always playing some role, always lying.

She would come back, tomorrow at the latest. He could wait that long.

Hiccup decided to kill some time with drawing. Not something work-related, he couldn't concentrate enough for that, but something else, something simple. Maybe one of the private requests he got sometimes, just something to occupy his mind.

Or the project Astrid had been so excited about all those months ago. He searched for the data and opened it. The request had been cancelled without a reason but they'd been paid for their effort and since then it had been resting somewhere in the hidden corners of his computer. He'd already done the most though, shapes and colours. Many would probably say it was finished already but there were always hundreds of things Hiccup wanted to improve. This was perfect to relax his mind...

Hiccup liked the picture. It was inspired by a scene from one of those animated films lately, maybe a little cheesy but still fairly cool in comparison. If one was to pick up a girl on a ride, a dragon was a _damn_ great choice! Smiling to himself, Hiccup began to work. Soon, his mind began to relax and he was even able to painlessly remember how excited Astrid had been about this project. How her eyes had shone with that animated glow and her radiant smile while she explained what this picture was supposed to show.

It was by far not the first time Hiccup was supposed to portray _love_. In fact, it was quite frequently asked for. The topic was a little sappy, in his opinion at least, but he understood the concept by now. Colours and lines were to vary between strong and soft, the construct soothing with an inner strength. Weird though. He felt like he could understand it even better now, especially this one. Flying through pink and golden clouds, floating weightlessly with the girl of his dreams at his side, yep, that was definitely a feeling he could comprehend, he thought absentmindedly.

A moment later, Hiccup sat upright and stared at the screen in front of him. Yes, he could comprehend this feeling... because he'd felt the same. Earlier while kissing Astrid...

Love... what was love? The word had always been some kind of abstract fairy tale for him. He knew what 'making love' was but that was definitely not the same. He remembered reading and hearing the weirdest definitions and descriptions and remembered how none of them had made any sense to him.

How love was not just about sex. Sex had its place in love and even though it was supposed to become better and stronger, love was more than just intense sex.

It was about knowing each other, knowing the other's flaws and secrets and accepting them. It was about knowing the other's true self, who the other one was and not just what the rest of the world saw.

And it was about sharing one's life with each other. The good moments and the bad ones, sharing jokes and tears alike. It was about doing ordinary and daily things and being at ease with the other one around.

It was about someone else becoming the most important thing in the world.

Hiccup swallowed as he went through this mental list. Could it be? Did he... _love_ her? The thought alone made his chest swell with joy and his heart beat faster. He loved her...

Hiccup gasped out a low laugh as realisation hit him. He loved her. Warmth spread through his entire being, his body and mind alike, soothing and exhilarating at the same time. He loved her!

That was why he'd felt so twisted about his best friend. Because he loved her! Because he didn't want her like a best friend.

Hiccup frowned. That thought sounded... _familiar_ somehow. It took him a moment to remember why though. It was from one of Astrid's songs!

He didn't care much for music. There was music he didn't like and turned off when he had the chance and maybe there were a few songs he actually did like and where he turned up the volume when he could. But aside from those few songs, music wasn't his area of expertise.

But Astrid was different. She had her playlists saved on their stereo and listened to them whenever she could. He didn't mind her music but he had never paid much attention to it, either. It made her happy and that was enough for him. But he _remembered_ that line!

_I don't want you like a best friend!_

After hesitating for a moment, he started his search engine and typed in that one line. The answer was instantaneous, and yes, that song was definitely on Astrid's playlist! He stood up and walked back into the kitchen to where their stereo stood.

Track 12. It was one of her favourites, he knew that. Concentrating intently for once, he listened to the lyrics and didn't need to wait long. The first chorus brought him the line he'd been listening for.

_I don't want you like a best friend!_

A memory rose in his mind. A memory of Astrid working on her graphic tablet, head bobbing in tune with the music. She wouldn't sing along to the entire song while working, just murmur individual lines under her breath. And this line had been one of them.

Hiccup kept listening to the song and noticed there was another part he also remembered her murmuring.

_All of this silence and patience, pining and anticipation_

_My hands are shaking from holding back from you_

For the first time, Hiccup understood Astrid's fascination with music. Because _this_ was exactly how he'd felt since that fateful night Heather had broken up with him. This put into words what his mind hadn't been able to realise. _I don't want you like a best friend_...

But this was wrong! He knew that Astrid cared for these songs because they fitted to her life and thoughts. To _her_ life, not to _his_! Could it be?

For almost an hour, Hiccup listened to Astrid's music. Really _listened_! Every now and then he recognised single lines or short parts, remembered her mumbling along and filing the words away in his mind. It felt like an avalanche. Were those the words that described how she felt? Or rather, had felt? She hadn't listened to these songs anymore lately. Not since... Not since he'd started to see Heather regularly.

His heart began to beat faster.

_..._

_Wonder how many girls he had loved and left haunted_

_..._

That was him to a T, it was almost embarrassing...

_..._

_I don't wanna touch you, I don't wanna be_

_Just another ex-love you don't wanna see_

_I don't wanna miss you_

_Like the other girls do_

_..._

Was this why she'd turned him down over and over again?

_..._

_Not because he owns me_

_But 'cause he really knows me_

_..._

Apparently, he hadn't known her well enough...

_..._

_I wanna be your end game_

_I wanna be your first string_

_..._

_I, I loved you in secret_

_..._

Groaning, Hiccup buried his face in his hands. Could this be true? Was this how she'd felt about him all this time? Was it possible that he hadn't noticed?

Yes, he realised. Yes, it was. He remembered how she'd clearly wanted him but had held back nonetheless, how he'd accepted it without thinking about it. _I don't wanna touch you, I don't wanna be just another ex-love you don't wanna see!_

He'd been so blind, so _stupid!_

She'd never been one of _them_ , of course, she hadn't been. He'd always known that, had never thought of her as one of them, as another possible meaningless one-night-stand. She'd always been more, special, his favourite. The one that mattered. For so long he'd been a player, always on the hunt and not knowing what it was he was looking for. And she... _I wanna be your end game. I wanna be your first string. -_ She'd always been there, good-humouredly patronising him over his night-time entertainments, teasing but never judging, waiting...

" _And all at once, you are the one I have been waiting for, Queen of my heart, body, and soul,_ " he whispered to himself and knew it was the truth. Everything he was belonged to her, always had in a way since they'd met. If she still wanted him... "What have I done..?"

For a little while longer, Hiccup sat at their kitchen counter, Astrid's music still running in the background, and let his thoughts wander. Realising what it was exactly he felt for Astrid was one thing. Suspecting her to have felt the same at some point another. So many things had happened in between, maybe too many things. But he had to try. He knew that Eret wasn't good for her, he just _knew_ it! And he didn't feel like waiting for her to come back tomorrow would work.

Suddenly restless, he jumped off the bar stool, hurried to his room to put his riding gear on and left the flat. He had to talk to her. So he would look for her, even if it might take him all night to find her!

**. o O o .**

Hiccup drove through the dimming light of sunset and the oncoming night. She'd wanted to take a ride she'd said and he hoped that was still true. He looked everywhere he could think off, checked in parks and at their favourite café, drove along the scenic road across the hills and fields behind the city but couldn't find her anywhere. He checked on a few more reclusive places, a small lake in the woods, that cave they'd found once in the cliffside and the road above the cliffs that led to that big rock above the harbour. There, finally, he found something.

In the glow of his headlights, he found dusty tracks on the bituminised way near the stone and recognised the pattern as that of Astrid's _Stormfly_. Of course, many had tyres like that, so it could have been anyone. But Astrid loved this place and it made sense for her to come here to think. But if she wasn't here anymore, then he was too late.

With a sinking heart, he looked down at the city lights and swallowed. If she wasn't here anymore than she surely had gone back to her _boyfriend_. For a few minutes, Hiccup hesitated, pondering his options... Then he started his bike again and drove back down toward the city.

He knew where Eret lived. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to know it but he'd looked it up right after he'd learned about their relationship. Just in case she would ever need him there... He didn't want to go there now, didn't plan to barge in on them. But maybe he could catch her before she went in or maybe could signal her to meet him outside or... Dozens of implausible scenarios played through his mind while he drove through the busy city streets. What should he say when he finally found her? Should he apologise after all, for following her at least? Or should he just be direct and tell her how he felt? Or just try to kiss her again? Every single option felt equally stupid and sensible to him. All this felt too new to him to make any sense...

When he reached the building Eret's flat was in, Hiccup halted on the sideway and let his eyes wander around searchingly. He didn't know which flat exactly he lived in, which windows belonged to him. He could go and ring the bell but didn't feel like it. It wasn't Eret he wanted to talk to and he wasn't sure whether Eret would _let_ him talk to Astrid.

Biting his lip, he pulled out his phone and, with shaking fingers, typed in a short message.

_Hey! Can we talk? Please?_

_H._

It was probably futile. She hadn't wanted to talk to him earlier, had slapped him and had run away. But he had to try! He just had to!

For several minutes, Hiccup waited for a response but none came. He could see that the message had reached her but she hadn't read it yet. Maybe she was busy... The thought made him nauseous!

He turned his bike around to head back home to their flat, feeling defeated, when he noticed something else. There was a carport next to the house, one with spaces specifically marked as parking spaces for motorbikes. Some were occupied but many were still free. He couldn't see all that much in the dark of night but Astrid's colourful _Stormfly_ clearly wasn't there!


	9. Chapter 9

 

Hiccup pondered his options.

First off, it wouldn't have been sensible to wait in front of Eret's flat for Astrid's reaction when she was inside and possibly was getting fucked by that swine at that moment. But given that she wasn't even here? That made things more complicated. Surely she would have parked her bike with the others beneath that carport if she was here, right? Where else should she have parked it? No, if _Stormfly_ wasn't here then neither was Astrid.

But where else could she be? An uneasy feeling crept up his chest, as if to tell him that he had to find her, that she needed him.

Cursing under his breath, Hiccup kick-started his bike and drove off.

Once again, he scoured all her favourite spots and hideaways, searching every place he could think of. If only he knew in what kind of mood she'd been after she'd left their flat. But he didn't know if she wanted to think, or distract herself, or if it was something else entirely. Every now and then, he pulled over to the sidewalk and checked his phone but he got no answer. She still hadn't even read his message! Once, he even tried to locate her through GPS but, of course, she'd turned it off. As always.

After two more hours, he gave up. Maybe he would find her in a minute, maybe she sat on a bench at that park around the corner. Or maybe she was just driving around in circles and he was constantly missing her. Or she was somewhere else entirely, in a club or a bar, going out with her _boyfriend_. Hiccup hadn't checked whether Eret's bike had been at his flat, as he hadn't cared at that moment. He could go back to check now, but what was the point? If they were out on a date, then he wouldn't be able to talk to Astrid anyway and it would also explain why she wasn't answering his message.

Dispirited, Hiccup finally gave up. The uneasy feeling remained but he just had no idea where else to look anymore. And maybe Astrid had been right after all. Maybe this uneasy feeling was just jealousy. He _definitely_ did not want to imagine her being with Eret right now!

Feeling useless and disappointed, he drove home, adding a few loops along the way to check here and there, but without any success. When he reached their apartment building, he drove down into the underground garage, and, with a heavy sigh, opened their garage door. And froze in surprise. There, in its usual space, stood Astrid's bike!

She was back... She was here. She was _home_!

Hiccup felt his heartbeat quicken and at the same time wanted to yell at himself for wasting so much time when she'd been here all along. But he also tried not to be too excited because her being here didn't necessarily had to mean something good. She could be here to pack her things. Or had Eret's bike been standing outside? He hadn't paid any attention to that. Eret could also be here to beat him up for kissing his girlfriend. Maybe they were waiting for him upstairs...

Hiccup parked his _Night Fury_ and, with a suppressed sigh, went upstairs. There was just one way to find out.

When he opened the door to their flat, as quietly as he could, he could already hear the low murmur of voices from inside. _Not again!_ , he thought desperately. He didn't want to run into them having sex again, not after the revelations this day had brought for him! Bracing himself, Hiccup opened the door to the living room – and relaxed.

The room was entirely dark except the flickering lights of the TV. At first, he thought the room was empty but then, he spotted a slightly deformed shadow on the middle of their three sofas. Hesitantly, he stepped closer to take in the scene more clearly. On the low wooden tea table stood a bottle of Bailey's and a single glass next to a plainly empty tub of ice cream. A bit to the side lay a phone, blinking feverishly with unread messages.

 _Alright. I don't think there's someone here about to give me a beating_ , Hiccup thought... but couldn't bring himself to be happy about that. His gaze wandered on to the figure sitting on the sofa.

Astrid was wrapped tightly into her fleecy blanket, knees drawn to her chest and nestled into the very corner of the comfortable sofa. Not in her usual place, however, he noticed... but then, she hadn't sat there on that other sofa at all lately. Not since...

Gulping, he pushed that thought aside and made a hesitant step toward her. She hadn't reacted to his presence yet but, surely, she couldn't have overlooked him. He made another step and then crouched down by her side.

"Astrid?" he asked carefully but she didn't react. In the light of the TV, he could see that her face was swollen, her eyes hollow and empty in a way. She seemed to have cried a lot, which made his chest clench for some reason. Dammit, if only he would have come back sooner! "Astrid, what happened?" he tried again, but she still didn't answer. Instead, she closed her eyes, dropped her head to her knees a moment later and Hiccup could hear her silently sobbing.

It tore him apart to see her like this! He lifted his hand to reach for her, touch her shoulder or brush aside her hair but didn't dare to actually do it. Instead, he let his hand drop and pushed himself up to his feet again. He needed a moment to compose himself and she probably needed a moment as well, to gather her thoughts and prepare to talk to him. He hoped she would talk to him...

"Just give me a few minutes, okay?" he asked quietly. "And then we can talk?" _Oh, please..._ he thought desperately. Still snivelling, Astrid nodded.

Hiccup cleared the table and brought the ice cream tub, the glass and the bottle into the kitchen. This looked like a typical heartbreak menu and considering her tears and where she'd planned to go this night that probably was a possibility. But what had actually happened for her to break down so completely?

The bottle was empty and even though it was a relatively small half litre bottle, that was worrying all by itself. Hiccup knew for a fact that it had been full only this afternoon - specifically, when he'd bought it earlier just today! He threw a troubled glance back at Astrid sitting on the sofa. Driving a motorcycle while drunk or hungover wasn't sensible, so they rarely ever drank any alcohol. Astrid like to put a little bit of Bailey's into her hot chocolate now and then but that was about it. For her to drink the entire bottle in one night - one _sitting_ \- was so very not good!

Hiccup hurried to his room. As quickly as he could, he practically tore off his riding leathers, and rapidly pulled on some comfortable jogging trousers and a fresh shirt. He was back in the living room only a minute later.

Grabbing the tissue box from the kitchen counter in passing, Hiccup returned to Astrid and crawled over the wide sofa seat to sit down beside her. He pulled one knee up and to the side, sitting sidewise to better be able to look at her and also to keep some space between them.

It was strange. Just earlier today, they had yelled at each other, he'd kissed her and she'd slapped him. But right now, none of that mattered. Right now, she was just his friend again and despite his epiphany, she needed him just as such. As her friend.

Astrid had straightened up while he was gone and the film she'd watched, City of Angels, was paused now. She watched him warily with those big blue eyes of hers, watched the careful space he'd left between them after all and bit her lip. After another moment, she swallowed and lifted her eyes again and Hiccup recognised it as the sign that she was ready to talk.

"So...?" he asked carefully and placed the tissue box on the backrest beside them.

At first, it seemed like she would still stay silent. But then she reached for one of the tissues, apparently just to occupy her hands and eyes before she opened her mouth.

"You were right," she whispered weakly.

Just these three words but it was enough for Hiccup to guess what she meant.

"Eret?" he asked carefully and she nodded.

"I... went to him today." Her eyes were glued to the tissue paper as she slowly tore it apart in her lap. "I wanted to break up with him." Hiccup's heart made a joyful leap but he suppressed any obvious reaction. This was not the moment for a wide grin to spread over his face. "He'd told me he would need to work longer today so that I would have to come over later than usual. But I didn't want to wait." Yes, he knew that, knew how she wanted to execute a plan as soon as she'd made it. "So I drove to his flat anyway. I figured I could just wait in his room and tell him as soon as he would be back." A humourless laughter escaped her. "But, surprise, I didn't need to wait. When I entered his room, he was already there... hilt deep inside Heather." Her voice broke when a new wave of sobs rippled through her.

All Hiccup could do was to gape at her.

"Heather?" he asked disbelievingly once he'd recovered from the sudden surprise. "W-what... but, but _how?_ " He was stammering but he couldn't help it. Heather? How was that possible? Heather and Eret had barely ever exchanged a word on those few occasions they'd met. Sure, that didn't need to mean much, but still...

Astrid's phone vibrated with an incoming message but she ignored it. Instead, a louder sob escaped her and she shook her head. Then she glanced up at him again, threw him a strange, pleading look and crawled over onto his lap a moment later. At first, Hiccup couldn't react as she sat down on his bent leg and leaned her head against his shoulder but a second later, his reflexes took over. He wound his arms around her shoulders and her waist, holding her and comforting her. Because she was his best friend and that was what she needed right now.

"It was all staged," she whispered after a minute against his shoulder, but Hiccup didn't understand.

"Staged?" he asked puzzled. "What do you mean?" Her answer wasn't that enlightening though.

"Everything. Everything was staged." She cuddled closer to his chest, seeming to seek reassurance in his presence. "It was a bet. Apparently, _dozens_ of people knew about it."

"A bet for what? Hiccup asked, still not comprehending.

"A bet whether Heather would be able to capture the most notorious playboy in town and keep him for three months!"

Shocked, Hiccup stared past her hair into nothing. "What?" he gasped. That couldn't... how...

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "That wasn't... I didn't..." She paused and began anew. "I didn't mean to say it like that. But I... didn't know how else to break it to you. It had been a lie... everything..."

Reflexively, Hiccup pulled her closer as she began to tremble and tried to understand. "It's...okay. It's not like I... actually cared for her," he said after a minute. He didn't mean to sound condescending, it was just the simple truth. He hadn't cared for her beyond the commitment he'd made to try and be her boyfriend. Hearing that her feelings hadn't been as deep as she'd claimed either wasn't a shock. But he didn't want Astrid to feel bad because of that. "What does this have to do with Eret though?"

Between all her sobs, something like a gasped out humourless laugh escaped her. "She was so sure she'd already won that bet when you kept meeting her. But after a while, she apparently felt threatened by me. As if things between us ever had been like that..." She trailed off and Hiccup felt a painful sting in his heart. If he suspected correctly, Heather's fears had been more than reasonable. Astrid had wanted it to be like that and if he'd just realised that in time, Heather wouldn't have stood a chance.

"So she made sure I would be out of her way," Astrid continued after a short pause. "She set her brother's flatmate on me, told him everything he had to know. What I liked, films and music, what he would need to talk to me about... She paid him to spend time with me, to distract me... it was all planned, all staged! It's..." Once more her voice broke but this time, she actually burst into tears.

"Am I that horrible?" she moaned against his chest and Hiccup further tightened his arms around her. Apparently, this was what had broken her, what bothered her the most. "That a man needs to get paid to be with me? I mean..." She broke off again, shaking her head and grabbing fistfuls of his shirt.

 _No, you are not!_ , Hiccup wanted to say. She wasn't horrible, not at all. He would give everything to be with her! But this was not the moment to tell her that. Not amidst all her pain.

"What did you mean, it was all staged?" Hiccup asked a minute later, mainly to distract her and give her time to recompose herself.

"That it was all _staged!_ Planned, organised, done from a script! Take your pick! Eret meeting me _by chance_ and knowing perfectly well how to catch my interest. You running into us here... Every tiny bit was planned..."

"What?" This time, Hiccup's question came more like an outburst. "How's that possible? How could they've planned all that?"

Astrid was quiet for a moment but then began to talk again, quietly and calmer now, her head weakly resting against his shoulder. "They had time to _explain_ while I ran back to my bike to get away... Shouted it down the stairways, hooting and laughing... And what they couldn't say then, they're explaining through texts." As if on cue, her phone vibrated once again and Astrid grimaced. "I stopped reading it after a while... But it was things like... You'd planned to spend that night at Heather's... and _coincidentally_ , Eret asked whether he could come over that night. And you always texted her when you were at Tesco's, right? So she told you then that she had no time that day after all. Heather texted Eret when you would be on your way back here so that he could start... _seducing_ me and you would come back just in time to run into us... Things like that..."

Hiccup was stunned. Being lied to wasn't that bad for him, he would survive that. Being cheated on was probably worse for Astrid. This though? "But why?" he asked softly. "Why would they do all that?"

Astrid shrugged and slightly shook her head. "I don't know... They probably thought seeing me having sex with another man would make you stop caring for me. As if you ever had in that way..." she added mumbling. There it was again, that sting in his heart. He _had_ cared for her, always! He just hadn't seen it...

"You can read it if you want," Astrid said after a while, in an obvious attempt to sound unperturbed and gestured toward her phone, which was still blinking angrily. "But I need the loo!" She pushed herself out of his lap and climbed off the sofa to stand on wobbly legs. Before she could walk away though, Hiccup caught her arm.

"Astrid?" he said hesitantly. He wasn't so sure what he wanted to say. She looked so broken and hurt. This was still not the right moment to tell her about his feelings for her but maybe he could at least mend her pain a little. "I don't think you're horrible..."

For a long moment, Astrid looked at him with an unreadable expression. Then she averted her eyes, carefully pulled her arm back and went into the direction of the bathroom. Hiccup's eyes followed her, unsure what to make of her reaction. Was he too late?

When he saw her staggering awkwardly through the room, other concerns made themselves noticeable though. She'd drunk the entire bottle of Bailey's! In - he glanced at the clock - at most four hours, probably less. During their conversation just now, she'd seemed sober enough but seeing her stumbling around like that, holding on to the kitchen counters and the walls for balance, reminded him of how primed she had to be. He would have to keep an eye on her.

Once more, Astrid's phone vibrated audibly on the table's surface and Hiccup struggled to reach for it. He wanted to know, to understand what she'd meant. _Everything had been staged_. How was that possible? Quickly, he unlocked her phone, knowing the pattern just like she knew his and, after one last moment of hesitation, started to read the messages she'd gotten tonight.

There was more to it than just the basic explanation Astrid had given him for that one encounter all those weeks ago. It seemed as if Heather and Eret had _wallowed_ in the chance to tell it all. It had started much earlier, when Heather had been new to the city - which was probably why they hadn't met her before. She seemed to consider herself a player, too, but of another kind from him. Hiccup was well known as a player, or at least he had been, but he'd always been open and honest about it.

Heather was different and her game was the very opposite of his. She liked having power over others, to take and to break them as she pleased. So when she'd heard about him, she'd seen it as a challenge to capture him and to keep him, to make him do what she wanted and to discard him at her own leisure. Hiccup was distinctly not enjoying reading how he'd been targeted to be played as a puppet, but it also didn't hit him as hard as he would have thought it would have. And that was because Heather... just didn't _matter_ to him. Yes, she had ' _captured_ _him,'_ as she called it, but that wasn't her achievement. She'd just met him at the wrong moment. And he didn't feel like she'd _broken_ him, like he'd _done whatever she'd wanted until she'd discarded him_. Reading this only served to reinforce his lack of guilt at not being a _good_ _boyfriend_ to her.

He read what Astrid had already told him; Heather had seen Astrid as a threat she had to get rid of. How she'd gathered information about her by pretending to be interested in his best friend until she had enough to bait her. How easy it had been to lure Astrid away with Eret's gentle words and to take her in completely. How Heather had realised that her grip on him wasn't as strong as she wanted it to be and how she'd reached for Astrid to make him pay for that.

He read how much fun Heather and Eret had by deceiving them. How thrilling it was to pretend they wouldn't know each other, to play their parts without Hiccup and Astrid noticing. Now, he was getting angry after all; Hiccup read how easy it had been for Heather to convince him to keep up their _relationship_ , just long enough to reach her set goal of three months. How easily he'd fallen for her tears... How much fun it had been to play his guilt so he would buy her whatever she wanted.

He read how they'd planned their _grand finale_ during their shared date night, to provoke any reaction that would make finally breaking up seem plausible and Heather's decision alone, all while inflicting as much pain as possible. How much fun it had been to watch them both suffer.

He read how they'd kept up the charade. How much fun it had been to become more daring with every day. Like sending her unassuming brother to get her things, fully risking him to run into Astrid and depending on Eret to keep her occupied. Or like fooling around in the club where everyone could see them and yet nobody really looked.

He read how Heather hadn't liked how little her breaking up with him had affected him and how she'd decided to hit the one point that _would_ hurt him.

She'd decided to hurt Astrid.

Now shaking with livid rage, Hiccup read how Eret had kept influencing her in order to further separate them. He'd planted doubt and anger in Astrid's head for the simple sake of keeping up their game. Eret had taken over in the writing at some point, as he sadistically commented how _good_ it was to occasionally bang someone who actually seemed to enjoy it, who responded more and who didn't remind him of a mute sex doll. It was disgusting!

Hiccup send a prayer of thanks to the Gods that Astrid hadn't read this yet. It was disgusting and infuriating to read Eret's smarmy confession of how he'd treated Astrid as a sex toy! And that was because they were _right;_ all of this would wound Astrid more.

But she never would read these hurtful words if he could help it - _and he could!_

He was just about finished when Astrid returned from the bathroom. She seemed a little clearer now and Hiccup could see the drops of water on her face and her neck. So she'd freshened up a bit, that was good.

"I'm going to delete these messages and block their numbers, alright?" he asked as she crawled back onto the sofa. It was not that he wanted to keep the truth from her... she just didn't need to read _these_ words.

Ever!

"Alright," she mumbled and cuddled back to his side. It was a good thing that their sofas were these wide and comfortable couches, Hiccup thought with an absent-minded smile as he laid one arm around her shoulders. Otherwise, he would have needed to move and right now, he was happy to just lay here with her in his arm as they were. It was strange how easily they fitted together again after all that happened. But that was just how it was between them; there was nothing that couldn't be made up for with a little talking. Months of tiptoeing around each other, of pain and separation but now that they knew it had been nothing but a ruse they patched up as if nothing had happened.

Well, almost nothing...

Hiccup made a copy of the messages Astrid had received before deleting them, sending it to his phone, just in case. He had just finished blocking Heather's and Eret's numbers when it happened.

Astrid had been wiggling constantly in his arms this whole while; he'd assumed that she had been looking for the most comfortable position in which to nestle. But then he felt something like hot lightning searing through him, making him tense all over, as Astrid's lips pressed against his neck and her tongue ran over his skin. Momentarily distracted, he dropped her phone and couldn't keep a low groan from rumbling through him as she continued on and he felt her tongue and teeth lapping and nipping against the side of his throat.

"Astrid," he gasped out, unsure how to react. "What..." He paused. It wasn't that he minded her touching him... but there were still things they hadn't talked about yet, things that were important. Things...

Her mouth against his skin vanished and for a moment he thought it might have been just a fluke, that he'd just imagined it or that it had just been an accident.

"Did you mean it?" Astrid pushed herself up a little, looking at him with slightly dazed eyes. "That you don't think I'm horrible? That..." she trailed off and didn't go on, instead just letting the words hang between them. Hiccup knew immediately what she meant. His heart began to beat faster as he returned her gaze before he answered.

"Yes," he breathed. "Yes, I meant it!" And he had! He had meant everything, the few words and everything they implied. He could practically see how what he'd said sank in. Astrid's gaze intensified, her chest heaving with intense emotions that Hiccup felt mirrored within himself.

Hiccup couldn't hold back any longer. With one quick movement, he reached for her, drew her against him, and into a kiss. This time, she didn't even seem to be surprised. She melted against his chest in an instant, moving her lips with his without hesitation or restraint, and he thought he would go insane. Kissing her felt amazing, her soft lips and low gasps, how she parted her mouth after a short while and he got to taste her eager tongue. It made him lightheaded, too distracted to breathe and every breath he actually could take was filled with her, her scent in his nose, her taste and the vibrations of her moans in his mouth.

It didn't take long before their bodies followed. Astrid crawled up until she could slide a leg across his lap, effectively straddling him and his hands were on her waist a moment later. He'd meant to just place them there lightly, just feel the warmth of her body beneath his hands but instead, he gripped her far tighter, holding on to her as if to never let her go again. His fingers slipped beneath the fabric of her shirt, just along that narrow strip of uncovered skin but it was enough to make her shiver and gasp nonetheless. After a couple of seconds, she pulled back, gazing at him with hungry eyes before she bit her lip and demandingly tugged at the hem of his shirt.

Hiccup obliged instantly, hastily pulled his shirt over his head and off despite the impractical position he sat in, leaning heavily against the backrest behind him. It unbalanced Astrid sitting above him and she had to tighten her legs around him as not to be thrown off by the sudden movement. Hiccup gasped out a low curse as he felt her warm and damp centre pressing against his crotch where his cock was long since awake and eagerly waiting. Judging by her low whimper, she'd felt it too and was now gazing down at him, realisation gleaming in her eyes.

Without breaking eye contact, Astrid purposefully moved against him, rolling her hips to rub against his growing erection and it made him moan helplessly. She repeated the movement, torturously slow, and with her gleaming eyes glued to his. A part of him wanted to say something, tell her that she didn't need to do this, that they should talk first, that he had to tell her how he felt, but his mind was utterly blank with finally, _finally_ feeling Astrid so close to him. His shaking hands glided beneath her shirt and she took the hint. She let him help her push it over her head and reached behind her to open her bra directly afterwards.

And just like that, Hiccup was faced with one of his most persistent fantasies of her, looking up at this beautiful goddess, her bare breasts swaying with her slow and purposeful movements. His hand wandered back to her waist on their own accord, feeling her hot skin beneath his fingers and he couldn't help but buck up against her, seeking more friction, more heat, more _her_. All Gods above, she was mesmerizing! Noone else compared to her, not now, not ever.

His moving beneath her shook Astrid up. She swayed a little and giggled before placing her hands on his stomach for stabilisation, lightly digging her fingernails into his skin for a better hold. The threat of pain just added to his state and he bucked up a few more times without consciously deciding to do so, seeking to thrust into her, to shake her and make her cling to him more tightly.

"Hicc-aahhh..." came her torn gasp, the first thing anyone of them said since their lips had first met. It gave him a heady feeling and judging by how she was swaying lightly above him, she seemed to feel the same. Once more he pushed up, pressing against her core through their clothes and her reaction was beautiful. A small whimper escaped her and her eyes fluttered weakly, her whole body swaying back and forth–

Until she threatened to topple over. With his hands already on her hips, Hiccup was able to catch her before she actually fell off him and possibly the sofa as well. After a second, Astrid caught herself again, giggling helplessly and that was when he remembered. Astrid was anything but sober!

Groaning in frustration, he let his head fall back against the backrest and fought to pull himself together. Never before had he needed to deal with the question whether his partner might be too drunk to consciously consent to sex. In his opinion that was dangerously close to rape! But if the girl hadn't been sober enough to safely hold onto him on his bike then he wouldn't have taken her with him anyway, so the question had never come up.

Astrid though? She wasn't even sober enough to _walk_ straight anymore, much less to consent to have sex with him. And the lack-of-legal-consent aspect aside - the _raping_ -aspect aside - there was one other point: the girl _consciously_ deciding to sleep with him had never before been this important! Because she was not one of _them_. She was Astrid... the woman he had - _finally_ \- realised he loved. He wanted her, only the Gods above knew how much, but he wanted her entirely and completely and not just her body.

Above him, Astrid began to move again, panting slightly interspersed with low giggles as she kept rubbing purposefully against him.

"Astrid, wait," Hiccup gasped out and tried to hold her still.

"No... No waiting anymore," she breathed. "I've waited too long once. Won't happen again!" she reached down between them and fumbled with the cords of his trousers to loosen them but he reached for her hands to stop her.

"No, Astrid. Stop!" he said urgently. "You don't know what you're doing right now. Please, wait! You -"

"But I don't want to wait anymore," Astrid whined, swaying dangerously again so that he placed his hands back on her waist to stabilise her. She kept moving, squirming in his hold and Hiccup attempted to actually lift her off him. He would _not_ have sex with her in this state! That didn't work as planned though, her squirming and his disadvantageous position making things more difficult and instead of placing her beside him on the sofa, he was just able to pull her down and against his chest.

"Astrid, you're drunk!" he insisted into her hair, voice low but firm.

"'Mmmnot!" she protested weakly. "Jus' tipsy. An' I want you.. this... Always wanted..." Her rambling made his heart swell but it was just that, rambling. He wanted to reply but she beat him to that.

"You're so warm," she murmured and snuggled closer to his bare chest. "So warm... Gods'ss feels good, mmmhhh"

Hiccup could feel how she became heavier above him, apparently quickly drifting out of consciousness right now. "Know what..? love you... always have... love you... so much..." And then she was gone, her low and even breathing the only sound left in their flat.

For a long while into the night, Hiccup just stared at the ceiling, arms wrapped around her limp body as she slept peacefully on him, and tried to grasp what she'd just said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was told that, maybe, I should warn people that there's some form of cheating in this story... But I didn't add it as a tag, because it's not about Hiccstrid cheating on one another, and adding 'Cheating (not Hiccstrid)' would have given away a lot. And I don't even feel like Eret (and Heather presumably) were really 'cheating' because they were never really 'committed' to their relationships with Hiccup/Astrid. So I didn't add that warning because I didn't feel like it was necessary with the warnings of 'Manipulation' and 'Deception' already in place. If you disagree, then 'sorry' but I had my reasons.


	10. Chapter 10

 

Astrid woke with a grimace at the awful taste in her mouth, and, unfairly, still tired. With a low groan, she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes and tried to pry them open. It was hard, but eventually, she was able to squint around carefully. Even the dim light pouring through the closed curtains seemed to be too much for her. It took a couple of minutes before her mind started to work well enough to begin to comprehend her surroundings.

She was lying in her bed, in her room, wearing her dressing gown over her jogging trousers. And she was alone.

Strange... she could have sworn... Her dazed gaze wandered through the room and took in various random details as she tried to wake up completely. Like the unusual pattern the light threw against the walls, and the odd noises coming from somewhere else in the flat. Carefully, she pushed herself up and tried to remember why she felt so weird. It was all a blur.

Her gaze wandered to her alarm clock on her bedside table and she frowned. That couldn't be right! Three o'clock? It was way too bright outside to be in the middle of the night, this...

With a start, Astrid understood what this meant and she shook her head, laughing slightly at herself. And then stopped again. Had she honestly slept through half of the day? She couldn't remember that ever happening before.

Her eyes wandered past her phone, the notification light blinking, to land on the objects on her bedside table. There was a bottle of water, an empty glass and two pills of Aspirin. A bemused smile crept across her face... and then she remembered.

_Everything!_

The events of the day before came crashing down on her all at once, and it was almost too much.

Hiccup's kiss and how she'd slapped him.

Eret and Heather.

How she'd somehow made it home and had broken down.

How Hiccup hadn't been there and the endless hours of crying until he came back after all.

How he'd listened and had comforted her and...

Her hand fluttered up to land on her suddenly rapidly-beating heart. Yes, she remembered what had happened afterwards. She just wasn't so sure if she wanted to.

"Oh, Gods..." she groaned and buried her face in her hands. Had she honestly...? Well, she could always blame the Bailey's... But deep down, she knew that was only a sorry excuse. Falling asleep on Hiccup's warm chest had been wonderful, and the things that happened before... well... There was no point in pretending she hadn't enjoyed that either.

For a long while, Astrid sat unmoving in her bed and tried to get some order into her head. The image of Eret and Heather popped up in her mind, kneeling on the bed she'd planned to spend the night in and grinning derisively when they spotted her in the doorway. They hadn't even paused, had just kept fucking. And they'd kept at it until Heather's fulsome cry had torn Astrid out of her stupor. Then she'd wanted nothing more than to get away as fast as she could, but her legs had been too weak and her head had been too dizzy to walk straight anymore. It had taken her _ages_ to get away from them, their jeering comments haunting her even long after she'd driven off.

Astrid closed her eyes and pushed these thoughts aside. They weren't worth her tears or her pain. Last night, she'd cried enough for an entire lifetime, she would _not_ cry any more!

Although truth be told, not all tears had been for them... When she'd finally made it home, she hadn't even thought twice about it and had immediately looked for Hiccup. She'd _needed_ to tell him. Tell him that he had been right, that she had been wrong, that.. everything. Needed to see him, see his comforting face. But he hadn't been there... Their flat had been empty. Then Astrid had remembered what happened earlier. Not just that he'd kissed her... but also that she'd slapped him.

That she'd turned him down once more.

It had been the last bit, the last push. To think her stupid reaction had driven him away again, surely completely this time. Because he'd kissed her! This man who never willingly kissed anyone had kissed her and she'd turned him down. And when she'd come back to apologise... Of course, he'd been long gone! He'd probably done what he always did when she turned him down; he'd gone to the club and looked for someone else. She'd destroyed everything!

Or so she'd thought...

It had been too much for her then. For hours, she'd curled up on the sofa with ice cream and Bailey's, watched _City of Angels_ on repeat _._

... _one kiss of his mouth..._ Gods, she'd had that but it wasn't enough. It would never be enough...

And then he'd come back! His hair had been dishevelled and his shirt crumpled but not as if he'd had sex. And he'd been so good to her, so gentle and caring, just like he always had been. The painful months of distance between them had melted away into nothing and when she'd sat in his lap with his arms around her and his warmth soaking into her, she'd felt like she was _home_.

Astrid wrapped her arms tightly around her chest as she relived those last memories. How he'd kissed her _again_ and how she hadn't turned him down this time. How he'd looked at her after she'd taken off her bra, surprise and worship in his hungry eyes. The sensation of his restricted cock against her covered clit. And he'd said that he didn't think her horrible, that... that he wouldn't need to get paid to be with her?

And yet, he hadn't slept with her.

He'd said she was drunk... But Astrid hadn't felt drunk! It had just felt so right and she didn't even have a hangover now. She hadn't been _that_ drunk, right? Although, considering how angry she'd been at that bottle for suddenly being empty...

She groaned and ran her fingers through her hair. She was bewildered. Discombobulated. Utterly baffled! The pain over how Eret and Heather had tricked them still burned in the back of her mind, but far more pressing was the question of what, exactly, Hiccup felt for her. Could it be? Had he really meant his words like that? That he _wanted_ to be with her? And the kissing... He didn't do kissing... Had he kissed her because he wanted more than just sex? Or was that just wishful thinking on her part? But, _Gods_ , it had felt good!

Eventually deciding that brooding wouldn't get her anywhere, Astrid crawled out of bed. She hesitated, but then reached for the bottle of water which Hiccup must have placed on her bedside table - for her. After the first sip, she gulped down the rest eagerly. The pills, however, she left, not feeling like she needed them. Placing the empty bottle back on the bedside table, her gaze drifted over to her phone. She took a deep breath at the sight of the indicator light. More messages? Did she dare to read them? The first few she'd read last night had been horrible enough and she definitely could live without reading anymore like that. But hadn't Hiccup deleted those messages and blocked their numbers?

With shaking fingers, Astrid reached for her phone and pushed the small button on the side. The lock screen lid up and told her that she had one new message. Only one? Gathering her courage, she unlocked the screen and held her breath as her phone loaded.

_Hey! Can we talk? Please?_

_H._

Astrid stared at the text. At first, she thought this was Hiccup's way to ask if she was awake yet, and whether she would want to talk about last night.

But a glance at the timestamp showed that wasn't the case; he had sent it last night... after she'd slapped him, and before he'd come home to find her in pieces. So he hadn't been at the club after all? Had he wanted to talk to her? Had he - perhaps - gone looking for her? Even after she'd slapped him? Her heart made some disturbing jumps at that thought and a shaky laugh bubbled up inside her. She looked up at her door; there were still occasional peculiar noises coming from beyond.

She glanced back at his message and couldn't help but smile. Yes, they should talk.

**. o O o .**

As Astrid left her room a few minutes later, having prepared herself, she finally recognised the strange noises she'd heard earlier. Hiccup was working in the kitchen and the weird part was that he was up before her. But of course, at three in the afternoon, even he would be awake already.

"Hey," she said hesitantly as she walked around the corner and saw him standing at the sink, cleaning up a cooking pot and some smaller objects. When he heard her, he turned and gave her the lopsided warm smile she loved so much.

"Hey," he answered in kind. "How are you? Slept well, I hope?"

Astrid sat down on one of the bar stools around the counter and tried to hide her confusion. How was it possible that he sounded so casual? As if nothing had happened? As if she hadn't tried to mount and ride him like a lunatic - as if he hadn't stopped her despite his obvious desire?

"Yeah, I'm fine," she said, equally casual even though she felt anything but.

"That's good to hear!" Hiccup turned and bent to throw a glance into the oven. "I made lasagne. For later, in case you're hungry. For now, how about a coffee? Or would you rather have a glass of water instead?" he looked at her questioningly, openly, curiously, and without any judgement or hints of second thoughts.

"A coffee sounds good," she murmured and watched him as he turned and prepared her favourite mug for her. Was that it? Everything back to normal? Astrid bit her lip and swallowed. Sure, this was better than the distance of the past months but... But now, she knew what it felt like to kiss him and to feel his artist's hands on her skin and knew that she didn't want to go back to being _just friends_. She wanted more!

Astrid sipped at her coffee and watched him rummaging about, cleaning up, tidying up, and generally being busy. She hoped he would say more, bring up what had happened the night before but he didn't. He just kept being occupied, humming to himself and occasionally commented on unimportant things like how they had to restock the freezer soon or about a weird and unrelated comment they'd gotten on one of their pictures. As she reached the bottom of her coffee cup, Astrid decided that she'd had enough.

She stood up and stepped around the counter, grabbing a towel in passing and began to dry off the damp glasses coming out of the dishwasher. Hiccup barely reacted, just gave her a small smile and only once glanced at her bare legs beneath her dressing gown before returning to stowing away the plates.

"Hiccup?" she began hesitantly after a few minutes.

"Mmhh?"

"About last night..."

Hiccup paused, just for a moment, before resuming reaching for another plate. "Yeah?" he asked carefully and Astrid chickened out.

"I... I wanted to thank you. For listening and...and holding me. I...needed that...I guess," she mumbled awkwardly and only looked up at him when she noticed him looking at her in return.

"Anytime," he said with that warm smile on his face again. "And I mean that. I'm here for you whenever you need me."

 _Right._ Because _that_ was what friends did for one another. Hiccup let his gaze drop a moment later though, looking a bit uncomfortable.

"But... about yesterday..." Astrid's head perked up at his words and she caught the grimace on his face. "I... need to apologise! It was me Heather was after and you got caught in the crossfire. I'm sorry for that. They hurt you and that's my fault. None of this would have happened if..." Hiccup trailed off and gave her a torn look, biting his lip.

 _Don't say you're sorry!_ Astrid wanted to scream. Maybe he was right and her pain was just a _casualty_ in this war Heather had fought, but she did have a reason for attacking her after all. Because she'd been right, they weren't _just friends_... right?

_Right?_

She had to know. Heather had lashed out at her because there was more between her and Hiccup than just friendship, wasn't there? Her hands were shaking but her eyes steadily rested on him and her voice was calm when she addressed him again.

"Hiccup... Why did you kiss me?"

Hiccup froze, but then took a deep breath before he made a careful step toward her. His hand was shaking as well as he reached up to cup her cheek.

"I... because...," he stammered and came even closer. "I... I don't know... how much of last night do you remember? I mean—"

"Everything!" she interrupted him."I remember _everything._ I remember you telling me that Eret was cheating, I remember... you _kissing_ me and me slapping you. I remember finding out that you were _right..._ and I _remember_ what happened when you got home, how... how you stopped me and I remember..."She looked down, not able to meet his gaze anymore. She remembered everything, even the words she'd mumbled against his warm chest.

Hiccup's eyes had widened and he swallowed. "I... I'm so sorry!" he said, anguished. "I'm so sorry for not realising sooner! None of this would have happened if...," he paused again and leaned his forehead against hers."None of this would have happened if... if I'd realised sooner."

"Realised...?" she asked, her heart thudding with hope and fear in her chest.

"Astrid... I kissed you because I wanted to. Because I love you! I'm sorry it took me so long to realise it, but I do. I love you! And I hope—"

He didn't get the chance to finish whatever he tried to say, as Astrid had her hands on his head and her lips on his mouth, cutting off the rest of whatever it was that he hoped. Presumably, that he hoped she loved him in return. _She_ hoped kissing him with all the pent-up longing of _months_ of waiting was enough of an answer. _He loved her..._

At first, he didn't move, didn't react but then, he wrapped his free arm around her waist and held her tight as he responded to her kiss. _He loved her._ Their lips parted and she could feel his tongue carefully sliding along hers, felt him seeking contact, seeking her. _He loved her!_

Astrid melted against his chest, wanted to get as close to him as was possible. Her feelings for him had been brewing for months—Hel, for _over a year_! She'd given him her friendship and had gotten his smiles and his kindness. They could have had each other's bodies at any time. But now... Hiccup loved her. Now, there was nothing that would keep her from giving him her heart as well.

"I love you, too!" she gasped in-between frantic kisses. "Gods, I do. I love you, Hiccup!" One arm was around his neck now and her hand was tangled in his crazy hair. She loved the low groans he made in the back of his throat as her fingernails scraped over his scalp. The noises made her lightheaded and she already knew she would never get enough of them, of _him!_

Practically of its own volition, her body moved with his, rubbing against him, seeking contact and friction. Her breasts against his chest. His leg between her thighs. It was maddening! Their mouths parted when their breathing got heavier and Hiccup's lips wandered down to her neck instead. His hot breath made the hair on her neck stand on edge, and his tongue and teeth on her skin elicited a low whine she wasn't able to hold back. Her head began to spin lightly and slowly, she staggered back against the kitchen wall for stabilisation, pulling Hiccup with her.

Astrid tugged at his shirt and he shrugged it off with such eagerness that she would have laughed if she'd had the presence of mind for that. But instead, she got distracted by his lean torso, with lightly defined muscles and the freckles that dusted his skin wherever she looked. Last night, she hadn't had the presence of mind to fully appreciate him but now she did. And he was gorgeous!

Her hands and eyes glided over his skin, exploring him slowly, almost reverently. Hiccup gave her time, waited with his chest heaving and she could feel him tremble beneath her fingers. But when she reached the light trail of brown hair below his navel and the sensitive skin just above the waistband of his jogging trousers, he reacted after all. A stronger shudder ran through his entire body, his head dropped to her shoulder and he brushed aside the collar of her dressing gown, seeking her skin beneath.

"Astrid...," he groaned against her as her hands wandered further south, brushing over his restricted erection, "we don't need to—"

"Yes, we do!" she interrupted him, panting with desire. "Please, Hiccup... I want to!"

With a low growl, he pressed his bulge between her legs and his teeth sank lightly into her shoulder. His hand wandered down her front, seeking and finding the knot that held her dressing gown closed. With a quick movement, he had it open and the fabric fell aside to reveal her naked body beneath. Astrid somehow grinned even wider. She had, after all, hoped for this to happen!

Hiccup gasped, and then he retreated slightly, backing up and away from her - but it was to stare at her body and her eyes in turn, not to flee. And that made it perfectly alright. She was more than happy to let him appreciate what he saw. His lips moved but he made no sound, said no words. Then a smile crossed his face, and he leaned in to kiss her again, eagerly seeking contact once again. The sensation of his naked chest against her skin was overwhelming and it made her weak in the knees. Her hands landed on his hips for stabilisation but soon wandered further, beneath the fabric of his trousers and around him toward his butt.

Astrid couldn't help but grin against Hiccup's lips when she finally, _finally_ had her hands on his gloriously firm ass. It had been worth the wait! Once again Hiccup groaned when she squeezed him tightly, but only once before pushing the fabric down. They both gasped when his cock was free and suddenly pushing against her belly, the leaking tip leaving a trail of precum on her skin. Curiously, she reached for him and hummed happily as her fingers closed around him. She felt his pulsing weight in her hand and, _Gods_ , he was glorious! And hers... All hers!

Then she felt Hiccup's fingers between her legs, brushing over her clit and parting her folds. Without intending to, her head fell back against the wall and her back arched, seeking more of his touch. Her mouth fell open with a silent cry as he carefully nudged his fingers into her.

"So wet..." she heard him breathe, pushing his fingers into her more firmly and she lightly pumped his cock to finally get him going. But instead of getting closer, as close as they could get, Hiccup retreated and made even attempts to step away. Astrid would have none of that! Her free hand grabbed his arm, fingers digging into his biceps. His eyes were dark and dilated as she looked at him questioningly.

"...need a condom," he explained, panting.

Oh. Right...

Well, she had come prepared.

"Pocket... Dressing gown..." Astrid gasped. She grinned as his hand darted to her side to scour the folds of fabric which still hung loosely from her shoulders, seeking the little foil square. It took him only seconds to find it, tear it open and sheath his cock. But then he suddenly paused.

"Are you sure?" he asked in a strained voice, his green eyes suddenly serious, and Astrid smiled weakly. Gods, he was perfect. But the built up had been long enough. If she wasn't sure by now then she never would be.

"I am..." she breathed, nodding once and it was all he'd needed. Hiccup grabbed her rear, lifted her up a bit and pressed her back against the wall. A moment later, he was inside her and she couldn't help the embarrassingly desperate cry that escaped her.

The anticipation had built up for months and months, and it came crashing down on them both in that second. The moment he finally filled her, a thunderstorm of sensation crashed through her entire body. Lightning crackled through her, making all her nerves hypersensitive for him. She quaked and jerked and almost thought she might come from this first thrust alone. It felt amazing!

In front of her, Hiccup likewise shook and trembled. "Oh, Gods!" he growled, eyes glazing over for a second. "You're so... Astrid, you're—Nnngggoooods!"

Astrid fought to regain her senses, a little at least. She reached to brush aside his hair and tried not to wiggle too much in his hold. But, _Gods_ , she needed him to go on!

"Hiccup!" she whined pleadingly and couldn't keep her hips from bucking against him any longer. Her legs were wrapped around his waist for further stabilisation but also to draw him in more deeply. What was he waiting for?

Just for her signal, as it seemed. Panting, he began to move, to thrust into her and to lift her up a bit to let her drop onto his cock again. Astrid helped as best she could, moving with him. They fit perfectly together. Every snap of his hips, every rolling of hers brought them higher and higher. The world around them seemed to fade into nothing as he pounded into her. Their breathing became harder and their skin slippier with sweat but they didn't stop moving. Astrid's hands were pulling at his hair and scraping over his back while Hiccup's mouth was on her skin, licking and sucking and biting into her neck, shoulder and collarbone. There would be bruises and scratches on both of them later but they didn't care.

"Hic—" came her torn gasp as she felt her climax closing in. She was teetering along the edge, clinging on to him for dear sanity by now. She needed the release so badly and at the same time never ever wanted this to stop.

"Gods, yes," Hiccup grunted. "Close..." he shifted a bit so that he hit her in a different angle that made his pelvic bone grind against her clit and she couldn't stand it any longer.

With a short high-pitched cry, she came on Hiccup's cock, fighting to keep her head up and her eyes on him. She wanted to see him, to share this experience with him and to irrevocably connect this moment with him. But it was so hard! Pleasure rushed through her in hot waves, melting her insides and burning with an intensity she'd never felt before. Her fingers deeply dug into his back as she desperately searched for an anchor against the seemingly endless flood of sensation. She felt as if her entire being was shattered and rebuild anew as she twitched in Hiccup's hold, clenching down on him again and again.

His nearly black eyes watched her and his thrusts carried her through her climax until his grunts became more frantic and he finally pressed into her as deeply as he could.

"Astrid!"

Her name on his lips almost sounded like a prayer. She could feel him inside her, condom swelling as he spurted into it. She was already slowly floating down again but watching and _feeling_ him as he climaxed was almost as good as her own.

Gasping for air, Hiccup let her down to stand on her own feet a minute later. His hands rested heavily against the wall on either side of her head but he only took a few seconds' break before his lips came crashing back onto hers. It was as if his mind wasn't yet able to tell her what he wanted to say but she understood him nonetheless.

And she wanted to keep kissing him for the rest of her life.

**. o O o .**

About two hours later, Hiccup and Astrid lay on their favourite sofa, limp limbs entangled with each other. After their first shared climax, they'd needed a few minutes to recover but it hadn't stopped there; the accumulated anticipation had been enough to fuel their body through two more rounds of intense lovemaking. Because that's what it had been, not just sex but making _love_. They had both felt the difference.

Now, they were lying cuddled into each other's arms, utterly spent and exhausted. Even sweaty as they were, they couldn't bring themselves to stand up and take a shower just yet. They were simply enjoying each other's presence too much.

"What are we going to do now?" Astrid asked after a while, her voice heavy with physical exhaustion and euphoric happiness.

"Cleaning up, I guess," Hiccup mumbled, his voice sounding about the same. "Us and this sofa. I fear it's a mess."

Astrid chuckled and hummed in agreement. "Not exactly what I meant, but yeah. Not the worst idea."

Hiccup was quiet for a few minutes, absentmindedly running his hand up and down her arm. "Then... maybe...," he hesitated and turned to look at her. His fingers traced the purple bruise on her collarbone he'd made there earlier. He'd marked her. "I think we could... make appointments to do our health checks early. Just think about the fortune we'd have to spend on condoms otherwise." He chuckled shakily. "You're on the pill anyway, so..." he trailed off when he saw her expression. Astrid gazed at him, eyes wide with a mixture of surprise and joy. Because she understood what he meant. She didn't answer though, couldn't do so in fact, so he resumed speaking when she stayed silent.

"Astrid, I want to be with you. Only you and no-one else. I'm yours. As long as you want me, I'm yours."

"Forever, then," Astrid breathed. It sounded cheesy and who knew what the future would actually have in store for them. But right now it was exactly what Astrid felt. She wanted to be with Hiccup, only with him forever and ever.

He pulled her closer to his body again and stretched to place another light kiss on her lips. Astrid had lost track of how often he'd kissed her in the last few hours and to be honest, this fact was exceedingly thrilling to her. Because he didn't mind kissing her. This fact alone proved how serious he was if nothing else. Astrid leaned in to return his kiss, playfully nibbling at his lower lip while she let her hand roam over his chest. She would never get enough of him!

"But that's still not what I meant," Astrid murmured a while later. They were cuddled up in each other's arms again and she'd been close to drifting off into sleep more than once already. There was this one point, however, this one thing that kept nagging in the back of her mind. It was a point she didn't really want to think or much less talk about but she knew they had to. If only to get it off their table.

Hiccup was silent; at first, Astrid thought he might have fallen asleep after all, or was waiting for her to explain what she meant. But then, after several minutes of pondering, he answered.

"We won't let them get away just like that. I don't think I can, not after what they did to you. There's no point in taking any legal means but...," He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'll think of something. There are a few people who still owe me a favour or other," he shrugged and shook his head. "I'll think of something!" he repeated after a pause. "But not now. Now, there's only one thing I want to think about!"

He rolled them around until she lay beneath him and crawled down a little to place light open-mouthed kisses onto the skin around her breasts. Astrid chuckled and hummed but couldn't keep from teasing him a little.

"About when we get to eat the lasagne you made? Or about how in Loki's three times forsaken name will we ever make it to the bathroom?"

Hiccup paused and then resumed placing kisses on her sensitive skin after mumbling some almost incoherent words.

"Okay, three things..."


	11. Epilogue 1: Payback

 

Tuffnut Thorston- better known as _Crazy T_ , DJ extraordinaire- let his gaze wander over the crowded dance floor beneath him. As usual, people were dancing and swaying to the music, music that he decided to play. In his opinion, this was the best job in the _world_. It was his decision that influenced the people's mood, his decision on whether those certain guys would go crazy over some Metal music, whether smaller groups of girls would shyly hob back and force with their drinks still in hand, or whether couples would more or less make out openly right there in front of everyone. It was fun!

Today was different though. Today, he intended to influence the people's mood- but in a different way than he normally did. It made him a bit nervous but it wasn't his plan and he only played a small role in it. He only needed to get the ball rolling.

"Any idea when it's going to start?" he asked, but his sister shrugged from where she sat at the table behind him.

"No idea. She said someone would tell us when to start. Could be any moment now or still be hours. You know how those guys are right now."

"What do you mean?" T asked, confused. He didn't know what she meant, not exactly. Or maybe he just didn't want to think about it.

She rolled her eyes. "Going at it like rabbits."

"Thanks, Ruff. I so didn't need that mental image!" answered another female voice as _she_ approached the private table up by the mixing desk.

T turned and greeted the newcomer with their usual high five. The young woman with the wild blond hair and voluptuous curves still grimaced but neither T nor his sister were earnestly concerned about Cami's innocence of mind. She'd traded in that card a long time ago.

"It's true though. I don't know about _her_ but _he_ can be a bit demanding sometimes," Ruffnut replied with a smirk and T grimaced. He _knew_ that his sister regularly banged random blokes but he didn't need to hear her talking about it. Time to change the topic.

"I still can't believe you knew about this!" he said reproachfully. "Honestly, C. H is a friend of mine; a warning might have been nice."

The blonde just shrugged. She made a specific gesture toward one of the waiters and then slumped down on one of the empty chairs. "I see him as a friend, too," she stated nonchalantly and inspected her fingernails. "We're kind of the same, after all. Always on the hunt. And from the few times we clashed, I can say that he's one of those who never makes things complicated. I like him."

"Why did you make this bet then? Honestly, that was just disgusting!" Ruff said angrily and T nodded. He was all for playing tricks but that bet was over the top, even for his taste. Cami, however, rolled her eyes.

"There never was a _bet!_ " she sighed, exasperated. "Honestly, what do you think of me?"

"That _someone_ did make a bet with that bitch. And there were enough people around you who heard you talking."

The waiter came with Cami's order and she took a big sip of her cocktail before she answered.

"Yes, Ruff, I talked to her. But I didn't _make a bet_ with her! She was new in town and I wanted to meet her, this self-proclaimed _Sex-Goddess,"_ Cami snorted.

T and Ruff exchanged a knowing smirk. "So, you felt threatened on your throne?" Ruff asked with a grin.

But Cami ignored her. "She claimed she could have _any_ man she wanted for _as long_ as she wanted. Which is hilarious! Even men aren't stupid enough to put up with someone like her for long, no matter how good the sex is. But she didn't stop bragging. Honestly, I've never met someone this annoying and I know a lot of people. Anyway, I called her a show-off and... I might have mentioned that I knew at least one guy she wouldn't have been able to keep chained to exclusively her bed for long," Cami grimaced and shook her head.

"And she took that as a challenge?" Ruff guessed.

"Honestly, I never expected Haddock would fall for her seduction. But hey, he's a big boy and it's not like it would hurt him to be used for sex." She took another sip of her drink and then placed the glass back on the table between them. When she continued, she sounded apologetic. "I swear, I didn't know about this 'fake relationship'-thing she was playing on him; not until he send me all that stuff the other day. I would have said something long ago if I'd known! And I definitely didn't know that Eret was part of her game, either. I still want to scratch her eyes out for that. Tricking a playboy into sex is one thing. Tricking an uninvolved girl into a disgusting lie of a relationship though?" Cami shook her head angrily. "That's something else."

"Well, then let's just hope there are enough other people who agree with you," Ruff stated dryly. "That's kind of what Haddock's idea is, right? Not the gory part, but..." she trailed off and T stepped in.

"So, what exactly is the plan then? You said you need my help, but for what exactly?" he asked, glancing at his mixing desk. All he'd gotten was a message from H where he'd explained the situation. He'd said that C would contact him and explain the rest.

"Oh, you'll love this!" Cami grinned. "You have this App here at the club, remember? The one where you announce special theme-days and people can make song requests and all?"

T nodded. Nearly every regular visitor to this club had their app on their phone. It was convenient; they even could put in a warning when the club was full and the waiting line outside too long.

"See, I have this neighbour," Cami went on. "Justin. He's an adorable dork. He programmed a little bug for me and –"

"And you banged him in return?" Ruff threw in.

"Actually, no, I didn't. He's far too awkward for casual sex. But he's a nice guy and once fell for a girl like Heather as well. He was all too willing to help."

"Adorable awkward dork," Ruff mused. "I might need to pay him a visit someday."

T grimaced. "He programmed a bug, you said. For our App? How does that work?" The thought made him a bit uncomfortable. Surely, neither C nor H would do something to compromise him in his job or harm this club in general, but still...

"Yeah. He gave me this," Cami held up a small USB-stick. "I just needed to plug it into your computer here, and –"

"Wait, wait, wait!" T interrupted her. "You broke into the office just now?"

Once more, Cami rolled her eyes. "Of course, I didn't!" She smirked. "I convinced one of your security guys to open it for me."

"Which one?" Ruff cackled. "Scott or Throg?"

"Scott," the other girl replied. "I promised him a weekend at my mum's holiday house in return."

"Uhg, really?" Ruff shuddered. "Fair warning, he can get a bit annoying. Never stops talking about himself."

"Ah, he's not so bad," Cami replied with an insinuating smirk. "You just need to keep his mouth otherwise occupied and then he's fantastic company." Both girls began to snicker and now it was on T to roll his eyes.

"Alright, back to the main point. You hacked our App! What are you planning? And does Mala know about it?"

Cami sobered up again and a calm smile spread across her face. "Yeah, don't worry. Your boss knows I kind of hijacked her club tonight. She knows me after all. And she knows Haddock and Astrid and what kind of girl Heather is. She's okay with paying her and Eret back. She just didn't want to know too many details and be involved directly in any way.

"And the plan is that you get most people off the dance floor. Play some slow love ballad. The happy couples in this room aren't the ones we need anyway. Then I'll send a specific song request, a codeword. It'll only work once and then the bug should deactivate itself. But once I do that, the App will send an _announcement_ to everyone who has your App on their phone. Nearly all phones in here should start beeping at once. That should draw enough attention so people look it up directly. The announcement contains what Haddock send me, Heather's and Eret's bragging about how they tricked them. He blacked out a few parts, those who would be too detailed about Astrid, I guess. But you get the idea anyway. Everyone will know what they did and believe me, no-one is going to like it. She went way too far!"

T nodded but there was still an unanswered question. "And what are we waiting for? I mean, why not do it now? As soon as people know, Heather and Eret will have a hard time fooling anyone else. Isn't that the point?"

"Ah, where would be the fun in that?" Cami smirked. "No, I had an idea that went a bit further and Haddock agreed," she took another sip from her drink, obviously holding the twins in suspense on purpose. Taking her time, she put the glass down and leaned back in her chair.

"I invited her here today," she finally went on. "Told her I want to _pay my respect_ for her _accomplishment_. She'll walk in here, expecting to be hailed as the one who captured Hiccup Haddock. I'm sure there are those who _would_ have admired her for that. But as I said, she went too far. Instead of congratulations, she'll only get insults and scorn. For someone who's so obsessed with how people regard her, a humiliation like this will be worse than being dragged to court, believe me. And it'll stick in the people's mind. She'll never be able to pull something like this ever again!"

Ruff, who seemed to have heard this part before, nodded before asking another question. "How do you know when to send this _announcement_ though? I'm pretty sure at least Eret has our App as well. They won't show up here when they know everyone read this."

Cami glanced at her phone. "A little bird is going to tell me when it's time," she murmured mysteriously. Then she glanced up and grinned at Ruff's and T's confused expressions. "Her brother isn't all too happy with what she pulled off, either. I know Dagur from an... ah... _other_ club. He's a decent guy and didn't know about the game she and his flatmate played. Just that they both also slept with other people, but that was nothing new. Usually, those people knew about each other, after all." She drummed her fingers on the table.

"Anyway, he'll tell me when they left his flat and are on their way. They won't stop just to check their phones, assuming they notice them beeping at all. And I told them they are on the special guest list so they don't have to wait outside, either."

Cami looked at them both with a smug expression and T couldn't help but feel similar. He'd meant what he'd said earlier. He considered H to be a friend even when the man barely ever let anyone near him, metaphorically speaking. No-one but A, that is. T had wondered about what kind of relationship those two had shared, had been slightly worried about them during the past months and now was glad to know they'd finally made up their minds as it seemed.

For about half an hour, not much happened. C and Ruff started to talk about men again and T tried to tune them out and concentrated on his music instead. But when a short and slightly metallic sounding battle cry and the noises of a vibrating phone echoed toward him, he turned toward the girls again. Cami had her phone in her hand and a mischievous smirk spread across her face.

"Alright," she announced. "That's the signal. Your turn now, T. Slow and intense." She flashed him a grin, which got her two pairs of rolling eyes in reply.

"So, Haddock and Astrid won't be here for this payback?" Ruff asked instead. "I know I would want to be there if the bitch who played a trick like that on me gets grilled."

Cami gave her a thoughtful look. "Me too, I guess. But, no, they won't be here. Something about never wanting to see them again, I think," she shrugged. "Works for me. I also think that they're busy doing the sickening sweet couple stuff right now- which, if you think about it, is also great revenge." She pushed her chair closer to the railing as to have a better view of the dancefloor below. "Besides, this way, I can brag about how it went to him tomorrow. So much more fun!"

Shaking his head at her eagerness, T turned once more to his mixing desk when the song playing right now came to an end.

"Alright, guys," he called into his mic. "Have a little break and relax for once. I'm giving you slow and lovely. _Don't blame me!_ " He started the track – Taylor Swift, not what he played often – and thereby got the ball rolling.

It was sufficient to say that everything worked as Cami had planned.


	12. Epilogue 2: Dress

"What is _that_?"

The baffled expression on Hiccup's face was priceless. Astrid wanted to burst out laughing and was only barely able to contain herself.

"It's a dress, Hiccup," she explained, lips twitching. "Surely you have seen dresses before. Girls occasionally wear them."

It took Hiccup a couple of seconds before he caught himself again. His slightly dazed gaze landed back on her face and only occasionally flickered downwards. "I know what a dress is," he said carefully and swallowed when his eyes dropped to the intriguing neckline, her bare shoulder and the fading yellowish bruise on her collarbone. "I just never have seen _you_ wearing one. I didn't even know you _owned_ one."

While Hiccup spoke Astrid walked into the living room. She was just about to pick up her purse from where she'd placed it earlier on the kitchen counter when his last words caught her off-guard.

"Well, I bought it... some while ago," she explained, making some indistinct gestures with her hands. The day before yesterday, to be precise but she wouldn't tell him that. He wouldn't understand why. Maybe it was a little foolish, anyway. But then, it was an in-joke for herself only and she liked the idea. That was what counted, right?

"And you're wearing it _now_? I thought we wanted to go to the club? You know, the first time as a couple?"

Astrid caught the slight flush spreading across Hiccup's face. It might have been adorable had his words not made her cheeks flare up, too.

 _A couple_. That word still sounded surreal and made her feel the weirdest things. Like her heart beating rapidly. Or the warmth spreading through her entire body right now. Or the light dizziness in her head. She and Hiccup were a couple now, truly and officially. In fact, they had been for almost three weeks already, but Astrid still wasn't used to that term. It sounded too good to be true.

"Am I not allowed to wear a dress at the club? I think I saw other girls doing so occasionally," she tried to sound calm and in control but felt like she was failing miserably. Because Hiccup was right, she'd never worn a dress at the club before. She had barely worn any dresses _ever!_ Wearing one now and Hiccup's critical expression made her nervous.

"Don't you always say it's too risky to drive in flimsy clothes like that?" he pointed out, his forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Isn't that why you always wear your riding leathers and _leave the dresses to other girls_?"

Did he not like it?

"Well," she began hesitantly. "I was hoping you would give me a ride for once. I've heard you're used to driving carefully while having a girl in a flimsy dress sitting behind you."

Hiccup's face softened slightly and his lips twitched but those were the only reactions she got to her words. If the last three weeks had proven one thing then it was that their easy friendship hadn't vanished just because they had sex now. On the contrary, it had grown and had become even closer and more comfortable. It had become something even _more!_

And yet, it still felt kind of the same. Their playful bantering hadn't changed much and referring to the past and the life they'd lived wasn't painful or awkward in any way. It was who they'd been and what they knew about each other, and it didn't change where their relationship was going.

"Okay," Hiccup nodded slightly and gave her appearance another once-over. Astrid hoped he liked what he saw; the tightly fitting deep blue dress with only one strap over her right shoulder – and clearly no bra beneath – and fitting kitten heel pumps. Well, she liked it at least and it wasn't like she planned to wear this more often. Just for this one occasion...

"Alright, let's go then. Just... don't distract me any further while we're on the road."

Astrid couldn't help but grin.

**. o O o .**

Just like on most other nights, _Crazy T_ let his gaze wander over the crowd below him. He often thought it was funny how the atmosphere was almost tangible to him. As if he himself could actually feel the mood the people were in.

Granted, on most days it was more or less the same; a wavering mixture of laughter, yelling and the light but ever-present aura of erotic interactions. This was a nightclub, after all, not a monastery.

Two weeks ago, though, the atmosphere had been different. He remembered how the mood had switched within only minutes. It had almost been scary and he was just glad that the sudden outrage that had spread through the room hadn't been directed at _him_.

C's plan had gone like a clockwork. It had been eerie how the low music he'd played had gotten interrupted by a loud chorus of different beeping noises, how the crown had fallen completely silent before everyone had scrambled for their phones. Within only a few minutes, _everybody_ had read the text C had sent. The first disbelieving whispers had soon changed into disgust and angry conversations. For a while, he'd even been worried about what these people would do when Heather and Eret finally showed up. Not that he generally was easily worried, but at that moment, he wouldn't have ruled out plain murder as an option.

It hadn't come to that, however, and reliving the memories served as great entertainment. He remembered how Heather had walked into the room, head held high and a smug smirk on her too red lips and Eret following her with an equal expression on his face. He must have felt incredibly glorious for being able to satisfy Haddock's ex.

T remembered the initial reaction of the crowd, how people had pointed at the pair of offenders to each other, anger and disgust plain on their faces. He remembered how their smug smirks had slowly vanished, remembered the tears of frustration and humiliation in Heather's eyes. And he remembered the delicious looks of stunned disbelief on their faces as Scott and Throg finally escorted them out after Eret had punched someone. It had been for their own safety but that didn't seem to matter.

At the last moment, Heather had looked up at them; her gaze finally spotting C. T clearly recalled the hateful glare the black-haired girl had thrown up at them and also how utterly unperturbed C had been. She'd even raised her cocktail glass in a mock salute. Never before had T been this glad to be able to call C a friend. T knew that C had recorded it all but hadn't publicised it. Yet. He guessed she wanted to use it as a bargaining chip against Heather; C _would_ publicise it in case she ever pulled anything like that again!

Indeed. On that day, the atmosphere here in the club had been quite unlike the usual.

And today it wasn't _as usual_ , either, although in an altogether different way. Anticipation was buzzing high and filling the room with a practically tangible electric charge and the reason for that was as simple as it was silly. Because Hiccup Haddock was back.

For months, he'd only been here in the company of that bitch. And then, he hadn't been here at all anymore. But today, he was back and, just as usual, only in the company of his _friend_. T shook his head and chuckled to himself. Everyone had read the text C had sent. How was it possible that still nobody _saw_ it?

But maybe they just didn't _want_ to see it. So many eyes were on him as he now stepped down the stairs from the DJ platform to the dance floor below. They were all waiting, just as usual, waiting for the starting signal that would open his _hunt_. They all still remembered, of course, how it used to be, how he would jokingly hit on A and then go on the prowl for real after she turned him down. Well, they were in for a surprise, if T suspected correctly. H had been up here just now to thank him for his help, but also to make a special request. The request to play a certain song, but only after A was back from the ladies restroom.

 _Oh yes,_ they _will be in for a surprise indeed!_ T thought with a grin. Playing matchmaker was fun.

**. o O o .**

It was a strange feeling to be here again. To Astrid, this club had been like a second home for a while, but now, everything felt weird and different. For the umpteenth time, she inspected her reflection in the broad mirror. She didn't have a single strand of hair out of place and what little make-up she wore was as it should be. She had no reason to hide in here any longer. After unnecessarily fixing her dress once more, she finally left the bathroom.

On her way through the hallway, she was met by the same weird looks as before. Cautious smiles, sympathetic nods, and even the occasional encouraging word. It wasn't like she hadn't expected those but it was still disconcerting. To think Hiccup's idea to pay Heather and Eret back had made such an impact that random people were trying to comfort her. Well, Astrid wouldn't complain. She didn't mind getting reminded of them, not anymore.

When she entered the main dance hall, her gaze wandered reflexively over the crowd, looking for her favourite mane of tousled auburn hair. It took her a moment but then she spotted Hiccup at the other end of the room. He leaned against a wall, arms crossed in front of him and studiously ignoring the people – mostly girls – around him. He spotted her right away and, after throwing a look up at the DJ's platform, pushed himself off the wall.

Graceful like a mountain lion, he made his way through the unsuspecting crowd. Every now and then the stroboscopic light caught in his impossibly green eyes, flashing in her direction and it made her heart beat faster. A small and detached part of her noticed how other people around her watched him as well, but she didn't care. Because right now, he was making a beeline for _her!_

_My baby's fit like a daydream_

_Walking with his head down_

_I'm the one he's walking to_

Astrid couldn't help the wide grin spreading across her face as that quote popped up in her mind. Oh, how she loved _reputation_. It was incredible how much that album applied to her... to _their_ lives. But it wasn't ' _Call It What You Want_ ' she'd been thinking about non-stop for three weeks now...

Without her help, her legs slowly began to move toward him as well. This was the moment she'd been looking forward to. It was childish in a way but she felt like this was important, even necessary. No, she was not one of _them_ , not a meaningless and interchangeable one-night-stand. Hiccup had made that clear. And yet they both had felt like they needed to play this game for one last time. The end game.

Suddenly, _Crazy T's_ voice sounded through the hall and momentarily tore her out of her daydreams.

"And hello again! It's me, the almighty voice from above. I don't think I've played this one ever before for you but I suggest you take a break and relax for a moment. Because now, on special request: ' _Dress'_ by the lovely Taylor Swift"

Astrid stopped dead in her steps, disbelievingly staring up at where _Crazy T_ seemed to wink at her. Had he just said ' _Dress'_? That couldn't –

The first chords waved through the hall and Astrid recognized it immediately. Her favourite song. The exact one that was playing through her mind ever since the first time Hiccup had kissed her three weeks ago. The one she hadn't been able to get out of her head which was part of why she was standing here at this moment. How had he...?

_Our secret moments_

_In a crowded room_

_They got no idea_

_About me and you_

Her head whipped around to look at Hiccup as the first lines of lyrics burst from the hidden speakers. He was only a step or two away from her now, a lopsided grin on his face as he closed the distance between them.

_All of this silence and patience, pining and anticipation_

_My hands are shaking from holding back from you_

Yes, her hands _were_ shaking as he stopped there not an inch away from her. How had he known? How had Hiccup known what this song meant to her? He'd never paid any attention to her music, how –

_Say my name and everything just stops_

"Astrid?"

_I don't want you like a best friend_

She could only stare at him, a fierce blush spreading across her face at the next line.

_Only bought this dress so you could take it off_

He knew! That green-eyed devil knew why she'd decided on this outfit today and hadn't said a word. Groaning, she buried her face against his chest as his lean arms wound around her waist.

"How?" she asked in a small voice. How had he known?

"I know you," came his simple answer, whispered against her skin as he placed a light kiss on her forehead.

Astrid gasped out a laugh. He was right, after all. Yes, he knew her, just like she knew him. It was why –

_Inescapable, I'm not even gonna try_

_And if I get burned, at least we were electrified_

Hiccup lifted one hand to place it under her chin, to lift her face and to lean his forehead against hers. Astrid's hands were still shaking as she fisted them into his shirt to never ever let him go again. He knew her so well, knew her inside and outside. And he loved her. Just like she loved him. After the last three weeks that was no news, but it was as if the truth of those words finally and completely clicked into place at that moment.

_Everyone thinks that they know us_

_But they know nothing about—_

Astrid's mind registered the noises of surprise around them, but she didn't pay attention to those. They didn't matter. Instead, she retreated to look at him again, seeking a confirmation she didn't really need.

Hiccup returned her gaze with a warm gleam in his eyes and when the song playing in the background went on, his lips moved to silently speak along.

_All of this silence and patience, pining and desperately waiting_

_My hands are shaking from all this_ -

Astrid felt dizzy. So he really and truly knew this song, knew what it meant to her. Her lips began to move as well, their intense gazes still locked on one another.

_Say my name and everything just stops_

_I don't want you like a best friend_

_Only bought this dress so you could take it off_

She could feel the warmth of Hiccup's hands radiating through the thin fabric. There was a hint of humour in his eyes but he became serious, almost solemn even as the song went on.

_Carve your name into my bedpost_

_'Cause I don't want you like a best friend_

She wasn't one of _them_. She wasn't just another notch on his bedpost. He wanted her to claim him as hers. And she would. She did. She already had. He was hers and she was his.

Forever.

_Flashback when you met me_

_Your buzz cut and my hair bleached_

_Even in my worst times, you could see the best of me_

Even in his worst times as notorious playboy with another girl in his bed almost every night, she'd seen him for who he really was. A wonderful and funny person that got hurt and broken a long time ago and who needed time and friendship for his heart to mend.

_Flashback to my mistakes_

_My rebounds, my earthquakes_

_Even in my worst lies, you saw the truth in me_

Even in her worst lies when she'd deceived herself about what she really wanted, he hadn't given up on her. He had fought to make her happy and happy she now was.

Somehow, Hiccup's gaze became even more intense. He didn't silently move his mouth along the next lines anymore but instead whispered them softly, his breath brushing over her skin.

_And I woke up just in time_

_Now I wake up by your side_

_My one and only, my lifeline_

The chorus played once more but Astrid barely paid any attention to it anymore. She lost herself in Hiccup's eyes as everything around them seemed to fade. There was only the two of them, gazing at each other in awe and wonder. Nothing seemed to exist anymore except the two of them, caught in an invisible bubble and the moment seemed to stretch on endlessly.

_There is an indentation_

_In the shape of you_

_You made your mark on me_

_A golden tattoo_

The last lines of ' _Dress_ ' echoed toward them and Astrid could hardly believe that less than four minutes had passed since _Crazy T's_ announcement.

"I get it now," Hiccup whispered and he'd raised a hand to lightly caress the yellowish bruise he'd left on her collarbone, his mark, _the golden tattoo_.

Astrid wanted to reply, to inquire what he meant, but she couldn't get her lips or her mind to _work_ properly. Damn, him touching her on _that_ sensitive spot wasn't playing _fair!_ But, luckily, he continued on his own a moment later.

"I get why people write poetry or make music about this," he breathed. "It's to at least _try_ to express what they are feeling." He paused, visibly gulped, and said, "Astrid, I... I love you. More than words can say. I can only try. I..." he trailed off, lost for words.

But Astrid didn't mind. She knew what he meant. Those three words were not enough. No words would ever be enough! So instead of trying to phrase her feelings, she turned to another language, one she knew could express their feelings even better.

She stretched and kissed him.

There had been a time when he would have backed off instantly, would have turned and left the girl standing for daring to kiss him. But those times were over and she wasn't one of _them_ anyway. So instead of breaking the contact, Hiccup wound his arms around her once again and pulled her close into his embrace.

Astrid's mind went blank when she felt his tongue pushing into her mouth, reverently and demanding at the same time. She clung to his shirt to pull him deeper into the kiss but it wasn't enough.

It would _never_ be enough!

**. o O o .**

Cami sat at a table in the back of the room, a half-filled cocktail glass in her hand. From her spot, she had a fairly good view at the dance floor and what was happening there. Neither Haddock nor Astrid seemed to notice anything of their surroundings anymore and she couldn't help the small smile that spread across her face.

Even her rare nighttime-visits at Haddock's flat had been enough to notice the hidden feelings between those two, let alone the hundreds of times she'd met them here at the club. It was weirdly satisfying to know that they weren't hiding anything anymore. Haddock had never been like her. Cami had chosen this life of no commitment and bonds and was happy with it but Haddock had been different. He'd always been searching for _something_ even if he hadn't realised that. It made Cami weirdly happy to know that he'd found it.

And, who knew, maybe one day she would find the right one, too.

Tuffnut's loud cheering sounded through the sudden silence in the club at their kiss and Cami couldn't keep herself from laughing out loud. The man had been rooting for these two to get together for so long, it was hilarious. Like some sort of real-life soap opera. But Cami could empathise how Tuff felt so she joined in, shouted out a short exclamation and clapped her hands—

And burst out laughing a moment later after all, when a good percentage of the crowd followed her example and applauded, which led to the happy couple parting from their kiss and looking around in bewilderment.

"Aw, they're so cute!" exclaimed the beefy man sitting next to her and she threw him an amused look.

"Not hiding anything, are you?" she asked teasingly.

"Naw, why would I?" Dagur replied, grinning widely. "But I don't suppose now would be a good moment to approach them, right?"

Cami glanced back at the dance floor and smirked. Haddock and his girlfriend were tightly entangled in each other, wrapped around each other's bodies, and, judging by the intensity of their _dancing_ , they wouldn't stay here for much longer.

"No," she agreed belatedly. "You'd better wait and get them on their way out. Otherwise, you might interrupt something," she added suggestively.

"Right. I wouldn't want to interrupt their... _highlight_ of the night." Dagur replied, snickering.

Cami grinned. She liked Dagur. Too bad, really... But there was a reason why he usually didn't spend his nights at this club after all.

"Oh, don't worry," she added dryly. "Knowing Haddock, it wouldn't be the last one tonight." Then she bit her lip at Dagur's almost comically sad expression as he watched the couple.

**. o O o .**

Astrid was almost regretting not wearing her leathers after all. Dammit, Hiccup was driving her _insane!_

When the sudden applause after their kiss had died down, they'd started to dance for real and it was every bit as maddening as she'd imagined. Hiccup never took his hands off her, not once and the flimsy fabric of her dress let her feel _everything!_

He was constantly touching her. On her hips, when he stood behind her and she could feel his leather-clad erection pressing against her ass. Or on her lower back, like now, as he stood in front of her. He held her tightly pressed against him, his thigh firmly wedged between hers. Every movement, every swaying in time with the music made him rub and press against her clit. Her knees felt weak already and Astrid just hoped there wouldn't be damp spots on her dress when they parted. Her briefs were definitely pretty soaked already.

"Hiccup!" she gasped as he pressed against her more firmly and she felt an intense spark flaring up in her lower belly.

"Yes?" His voice sounded lewd and heavy. Apparently, this ' _dancing'_ hadn't left him unaffected either.

"You... you gotta stop or... nng!" Astrid wasn't able to continue speaking as his hand glided up her side and over her waist to caress her breast lightly.

"Or what?"

Astrid caught the mischievous undertone in his voice and groaned. Of course, he knew exactly what he was doing. As if to prove her right, Hiccup leaned closer until his lips brushed against her skin as he whispered into her ear.

"Oh, the things you make me want to do to you..."

Astrid felt a hot wave of desire rushing through her at his words. _Oh, the things she wanted him to do to her..._

But was having an orgasm here in the nightclub really one of them?

"Hiccup, please..." she breathed weakly, eye fluttering shut as his hands kept caressing her body.

"Please what?" he growled against her neck.

Astrid whimpered embarrassingly as that sound vibrated through her. Her hands around his neck tightened for stabilisation and it took her a couple of seconds before she could form any coherent words. "Please, stop. Please, just..."

Swallowing hard, Hiccup retreated with a heavy sigh. He gave her a heated look before he brushed his lips against hers and whispered, "Let's go home."

Astrid nodded, all too eager to continue as soon as possible from where they'd stopped just now. She let Hiccup lead her off the dance floor and to the cloakroom to pick up their helmets, and they exited the club, nodding to Throg— and Astrid flinched when she saw who waited for them next to Hiccup's _Night Fury_ outside.

She felt Hiccup's grip on her hand tightening but aside from that, he seemed relatively calm.

"Dagur," Hiccup greeted the other man.

Astrid noticed how he made half a step to the side to let her hide behind him if she wanted. But she didn't. She wouldn't be afraid or get influenced by anything that was related to Heather, that much she had promised herself. So she made a step to the side as well, facing Heather's brother straight on. It wasn't like he was to blame anyway. Hiccup had told her that Dagur had helped to pay Heather and Eret back. And she had like him, before... But it was hard for her nonetheless to separate him from her time at his and Eret's flat and all the lies.

"Haddock," Dagur nodded in greeting. "And hey, Astrid! Nice to see you again."

But all Astrid could do was nod mutely in return. She knew Dagur was a decent guy, but she couldn't help it. Seeing him brought up all kinds of unwanted memories.

Hiccup glanced at her and seemed to notice her uneasiness. He squeezed her hand lightly before turning back to Dagur. "What can we do for you?"

Dagur scratched his neck uncomfortably. "Well, I... I wanted to apologise. For what my sister did to you."

"You already did your part in helping Cami with her plan," Hiccup replied calmly. "Thanks for that again."

Dagur nodded but went on nonetheless. "I know. I still wanted to apologise in person. She came to this town because I brought her here, after all. She'd gotten into trouble so many times already and I thought having her here would make it easier to keep an eye on her. Looks like I was wrong there." The redhead sighed heavily.

"Anyway, I also came to tell you that she left the city by now. I arranged for her to live with an old family friend and be assured, she won't be able to make any trouble there. It's a small village on a fairly secluded island and Alvin is going to watch her every step until she learned how to behave."

Astrid was dead set on not letting Heather influence her life any longer. But learning that she actually wasn't living here anymore, that they wouldn't run into one another accidentally... Astrid couldn't deny her honest relief at the news.

Hiccup nodded, still somewhat tense. "And Eret?" he asked. "What about him?"

Astrid could see how the muscles in Hiccup's neck tightened at that name. It was strange. Heather had been the one in charge of all this trickery but Hiccup seemed to be far more angry at Eret than at her.

Dagur shrugged. "I don't know exactly. I kicked him out as soon as I learned what he and my little sister had done. Or, more precisely, after C's payback. I never liked how easily he exchanged the girls he had sex with. But I stopped interfering after I learned that they all knew about each other. When my sister showed interest in him... well... I just thought that they wouldn't hurt each other at least. But after what he did to you...," his apologetic gaze landed on Astrid.

"He lived with my sister for a few days but from what I've heard they didn't get along well. I don't know what he did afterwards or where he went. All I know is that he resigned his job so I guess he's left the city as well."

Hiccup nodded again, more relaxed this time and Astrid couldn't help but feel the same. The prospect of never seeing one of them ever again was a relief.

"Thanks for telling us this," Hiccup said calmly and made attempts to bid his farewell.

"You're welcome!" Dagur made no move to step aside. "And... ah... you two are a thing now?" The redhead glanced at Hiccup's and Astrid's intertwined hands and she couldn't help the small grin that tugged at her lips.

"I'm afraid so," Hiccup replied with a good-humoured tone in his voice. "Sorry, man, but she's mine!"

Dagur winked at Astrid before he turned back to Hiccup and gave him a lopsided grin. "I'd rather say the problem is, that you are hers!" he commented dryly. Then he turned and walked away down the street, lifting one hand to wave over his shoulder at them.

Hiccup gazed after him in confusion. "And... what was that?" he asked, baffled.

Astrid couldn't hold back the wide grin any longer. "I'd say he just tried to hit on you," she said in a light tone and began to laugh in earnest when she saw his surprised expression.

"He's gay?"

"As gay as one can be!" Astrid confirmed. "See it as a compliment. You're hot!" She winked at her boyfriend but regretted her words a second later already.

Hiccup reached for her waist and pulled her against him, effectively trapping her between his motorcycle and his body. "Oh, am I?" he growled against her neck.

Astrid's mind went blank in an instant as he picked up from where they'd felt off inside the club. Her breathing got harder and her whole body began to tremble as he nibbled at the side of her throat, his leg pressed between her thighs again. He moved slowly but purposefully, rubbing against her to let her feel just how much she affected him as well. Lightheaded, Astrid reached behind her and searched for any hold on his bike while her other hand flew up to bury itself in his hair. Hiccup had her arousal up high in a matter of only moments and she feared she wouldn't be able to stop him again if he was intent on getting her off.

She wasn't even sure if she wanted him to stop.

A low whine escaped her as Hiccup retreated, dark eyes burning into hers and cruelly leaving her wanting.

"Let's get home," he gasped hoarsely, a wicked grin on his face. "And I dare you to _try_ not to come on my bike!"


	13. Epilogue 3: Games

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is more or less 100% smut. I'd say I'm sorry... But that would be a lie ;)

No, Astrid didn't come on Hiccup's bike...

But she could have!

Usually, she was too focused on driving and her surroundings for the deep purring vibration of the heavy engine between her legs having that much of an effect. But now, sitting behind Hiccup on his _Night Fury_ , she didn't need to concentrate on the road. Instead, all her thoughts were directed at him and how their bodies were so closely pressed together as they sped through the city streets, and it was _maddening_.

Astrid's arms were around his waist, tightly holding on to him instead of pressing her legs against the machine below her. She didn't _want_ to have an orgasm, not like _this_. It would be _mortifying!_ It was bad enough that at every corner or turn, she needed to tighten her grip and gasped or shuddered at the intense sensation. And feeling his low chuckling didn't help either.

Oh, he wasn't as bad as he could have been, Astrid figured. He could have driven harder, rougher, giving her more reasons to hold on tight, and she wasn't sure whether she would have been able to hold herself together then. But he behaved, drove as carefully as he could, not risking anything, and she was grateful for that, for more than one reason.

It was still enough to turn Astrid into a writhing _mess_ by the time they reached their home.

When Hiccup stopped in front of their garage door, Astrid had a hard time to get her legs to move properly. It took her way longer than usual to climb off his bike and stand on wobbly legs. The teasing smirk Hiccup flashed her through his helmet's visor didn't serve to calm her either. Damn that green-eyed devil! Ah, but Astrid knew by now that all that swooning of those girls at the club hadn't been for nothing.

Hiccup knew exactly what he was doing.

Once the bike was parked in its usual space and their helmets were off, Hiccup pulled her toward him in an instant again. His lips were on hers, kissing her like he was drowning and she was the air. Astrid could feel his tongue, demandingly pushing into her mouth, flicking against hers, sliding and gliding, leaving her breathless. Her head began to spin at the intensity, her body melting against him. They fit together like if they were made for each other. Hiccup held her tight, his own state of arousal obvious even through the tight leather of his riding gear, and Astrid wouldn't have been surprised if he took her right here. She wouldn't have minded, either.

She _needed_ him!

But a minute later, he retreated, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Let's get upstairs," he whispered feverishly.

Astrid nodded mutely, unable to speak. The last three weeks already had been... _intense!_ Not once had they made it through twelve hours without having sex one way or the other. To Astrid, it had been as if they'd needed to make up for a lot of missed time and opportunities, and Hiccup had seemed to feel similarly. But it also had been light and fun. They'd talked a lot, both jokingly and seriously, had reconnected. By now, their bond was stronger than it had ever been before.

This, however? This was different. Playfully fighting over who took the lead in bed – or wherever else they found themselves – had become a regular occurrence. Until now, however, Hiccup hadn't been like _this_. Now he was so straightforward and direct, so self-assured and without letting any doubts about who was in charge and what he was up to. It looked like the little game they'd played at the club wasn't over yet.

Dazed, she followed him up the stairs and into their flat, blood rushing through her veins and thrumming in her ears. Hiccup seemed so calm and in control. Astrid _knew_ he was as aroused as she was. She'd _felt_ him. How could he be so calm when all she wanted was to rip off their clothes, throw him onto her bed, and ride him into oblivion?

But Hiccup stayed calm. He took her helmet out of her trembling hands, placed it next to his own on the shelf, and helped her out of her jacket. After he hung it on its designated hook, he took her hands and pulled her along into the living room. Astrid wasn't sure what to do now. It felt weird, surreal in a way. This wasn't the first time she returned from the club with a guy and the solid intent to have sex with him. And neither was it the first time that a guy had led her into his flat with the same intent. Why did this now feel so different? It wasn't as if having sex with Hiccup was _that_ much of a novelty by now, either.

And yet, it felt different. Usually, she would smile and offer something to drink before leading her companion to her room. But doing so now would be stupid. This was _Hiccup_ , after all. It should be like it had been during the past few weeks, simple and easy, playful teasing and passionate making out without any awkwardness. There hadn't been _any_ awkwardness during the past weeks, none at all. But now, Astrid couldn't bring herself to start. There was something in his behaviour that kept her from acting as she usually would.

Hiccup left no room for her insecurities though. After they'd made only a step or two into the living room, he stopped and turned toward her. For a fraction of a second, Astrid thought she saw the same struggle in his eyes, but then decided that she must have imagined it.

Hiccup's eyes were burning intently into hers as he stepped toward her and didn't stop until her back was up against the wall behind her. He caressed her cheek, slow and suggestive, and then leaned forward. Astrid lifted her head to welcome his kiss, but instead of closing the distance between them entirely, Hiccup just let his lips ghost over hers.

"I didn't get the chance to say so sooner," he murmured against her mouth, "but you look gorgeous in this dress! Too bad..." he paused, nipping at her lower lip.

Astrid couldn't help the audible intake of breath. Her mind was blissfully empty and her body acutely aware of his so close to hers. It was straining toward him, desperate to touch and to feel him, to connect and be one again.

"But before it fulfils its destiny," he continued with a sly smirk in his voice as he let his fingers glide beneath the fabric over her shoulder, "there's one thing I'm dying to do, one thing I want to see." He caressed her flushed cheek once more before he let his lips wander along her cheekbone, once flicked his tongue against her earlobe and then lingered on her neck. His breath on her skin sent shivers down her spine and made Astrid whine needily.

She wanted him to _go on!_ She wanted him to take her dress off and then take her to pieces. Maybe right here, up against the wall, like their first time. Or, surely, they could manage a couple of steps toward the sofa, where she could straddle and ride him. She knew how much he liked that, after all. Or he could simply bend her over the sofa's backrest or the kitchen counter and fuck into her from behind. It always felt amazing when he did that, even though she regretted not being able to see his face.

Oh, Astrid's mind was a mess. So many things she wanted to do... But they had all night.

No, even _better_. Warmth spread through Astrid as another thought crossed her mind and her lips twitched into an involuntary grin. They had their entire lives! That thought alone served to push her arousal up higher a few notches. They had all the time in the world to be together in whatever ways they could think of, for this mind-blowing sex, but also for so much more. For lazing around on the sofa, for cooking and joking around. For going on dates, to the cinema, and for simply _being together_.

She'd said she wanted to be with him forever... and she'd meant it! Being friends and living together for the past few years had given her enough of a taste of how a life with him would be. And now that they'd made up their minds and hearts, now that they'd added love and sex to it... oh yes, Astrid could definitely see them being together for the rest of their _lives._

She gasped as an intense mixture of pleasurable pain and unbearable heat shot through her. Her dreamy smile disappeared as she bit her lip, suppress any needy noises.

She had been distracted by her thoughts for a moment, but now, she was back in the here and now. She had barely paid any attention as Hiccup's mouth had wandered further down. But when she felt his teeth at her collarbone, that changed. He didn't bite down hard, just hard enough to let her feel his incisors digging into her skin but not enough to break it. The sensation was intense, heat pouring from his mouth through her entire body, pooling between her legs. Her slip was long since ruined anyway, thoroughly soaked since they'd _danced_ at the club. But now, even her _thighs_ felt slick. If Hiccup wouldn't go on soon, she might just _burst._

"Hiccup..."

Astrid couldn't stop the breathy moan from dropping off her lips as he sealed his mouth to her skin and applied the lightest suction, not enough to renew his mark on her but enough to make her lose all remaining dignity. Her hand flew up to his head, grabbing a fist full of his thick soft hair and pulled him closer. Gods, if he kept on like this, she might come without him touching her any further – it felt so _good!_

A moment later, Astrid whimpered _again_ as Hiccup's mouth was suddenly gone. She didn't like making those noises and always tried to hold them back. To her, those were embarrassing. Wasn't she the one who ruled her body, the one who decided which noises she made and which not?

But Hiccup seemed to see it as a challenge to make her as vocal as possible, to draw as many of those noises out of her as possible and – _Fuck!_ – he was good at it.

Astrid's mind was still spinning when she felt Hiccup move. Out of the blue, his talented artist's hands were on her thighs. With a start, she realised that he had dropped to his knees in front of her. Astrid's gaze followed him and met his burning emerald-green eyes, caught the mischievous gleam in them. Slowly, he let his hands glide up her bare legs, pushing the hem of her dress up around her waist in the process. He didn't take his eyes from hers, not even for a moment, not even as his fingers hooked beneath her slip and pulled it down. His eyes were drilling into hers as he gripped her thighs tightly and ran his tongue over his lips, before he leaned in to kiss her quivering sex.

Astrid moaned loudly at the intense sensation and her mind went delightfully blank. One hand was clenched into his hair, while the other clawed against the wall behind her, looking for any purchase to hold on to against this ambush of sensation, but there was only so much she could do.

Hiccup didn't go slowly. His tongue was out and parting her folds before Astrid even fully grasped what he was doing, searching and exploring her thoroughly. Reflexively, she parted her legs to give him better access and he took the invitation without a second thought. With a deep growl, Hiccup dove deeper and ran his tongue along the length of her slit in an agonisingly slow, unwavering line. It took every bit of self-control she had left not to cry out. She wasn't sure whether to shy away from the intensity or to press closer to his mouth for more.

Her legs threatened to give way beneath her and Hiccup guided her knees until they rested against his shoulders. Now though, utterly trapped between the wall and Hiccup's merciless mouth, she could do nought but take. He lapped and sucked at all the right places, licked up her arousal, wrote nonsense messages with his tongue on her sensitive flesh, pushed into her ever so slightly, flicked and sucked on her clit until Astrid thought she might die any moment.

The onslaught of sensation was overwhelming and she was drowning in it. There was no space left in her mind except Hiccup and his mouth on her sex and she felt like she was falling, losing herself in him. Astrid _wanted_ to wriggle, to retreat for a moment's relief or to roll her hips to ride his tongue, to regain at least a tiny bit of control.

But she couldn't move. Hiccup's hands were on her hips and waist now, holding her in an iron grip and Astrid wasn't able to move even the slightest bit. All she could do was bury her fingers in his hair and try to remember how to breathe.

"Hiccup," she whined as her vision swam out of focus. "Hiccup, please... oh, Gods! Just... oh, Gods, please! Hiccup...just... Please!" Astrid was unable to hold back her incoherent pleas any longer. Her legs were trembling vigorously, her fingers scrambling uncontrollably through his hair as she teetered along the edge of her climax, so close but not quite reaching it.

Hiccup groaned into her flesh, the sound vibrated through her body and Astrid sobbed at the unbelievably divine sensation. Then Hiccup closed his mouth around her clit. He worked the small nub delicately between his lips and applied just the right amount of suction until it was –

With a torn cry, Astrid came on Hiccup's tongue. Her eyes rolled back into her head, toes curling, and her whole body jerked and twitched wildly in his grip. Pleasure burst through her and set every single nerve in her body on fire. Her head fell back against the wall, back arching and lips parted in a desperate scream.

It wouldn't _stop!_

Hiccup kept his mouth on her, kept licking and sucking, sending wave after wave of pleasure through her convulsing body until Astrid thought she might break and shatter. Desperately, she gripped his hair, unsure whether to push him away or hold him in place. He groaned into her as her hands tightened, sending a last pleasurable wave through her, stronger than the ones before. Astrid felt like her brain was melting.

Even as she started to catch her breath a minute later, Astrid was only dimly aware of her surroundings. Hiccup was back on his feet, so close to her that her body was once again effectively trapped between him and the wall behind her. Was this why she was still up on her feet at all? Quite possibly. He held her trembling body, his forehead against hers as he raised one hand to cup her face and caressed her flushed cheek.

"I was right," he whispered huskily. "This shade goes lovely with the colour of your dress." He leaned in to nibble on her lower lip, tickling her.

Astrid gasped out a shaky laughter and fought to regain her senses. "Does that mean you do something like this every time I wear this dress?" she asked in an attempt to sound witty, but failing miserably.

Hiccup grinned against her mouth before he whispered, "Maybe..." and then kissed her in earnest.

She could still taste herself on his tongue and the implication alone send her head reeling again. It was a good thing that he was still holding her or she would have sagged to the ground after all as her knees became too weak to hold her.

Hiccup chuckled and then reached to wind his arm beneath her legs and lifted her up as if she weighed nothing.

"Hiccup!" adrenaline rushed through her at the sudden movement. "Let me down! Don't... We'll fall over. Stop, you idiot, stop!" She struggled to free herself but didn't quite manage it. Damn, Hiccup was stronger than he looked! But then, she already knew that...

"Only if you keep fidgeting," he stated with a wide grin and then pressed his lips to her head. The gesture soothed her, reminded her of who he was. He knew what he did and she trusted him.

Astrid stopped moving. "Fine," she said grudgingly and gave in. She had to admit, however, getting carried by him probably _was_ safer than trying to walk on her own feet right now. And it wasn't as humiliating as it might have been. Not when it was Hiccup who carried her. She placed her arms around his neck and gave him a peck on the cheek. "Go ahead then!"

Hiccup gave her a funny look but didn't move. "And where does Milady want to go?" he asked in a low voice that stood in total contrast to their playful banter. It reminded Astrid of all the possibilities she'd just thought of moments earlier, but also of why she loved him. She loved how effortless and comfortable being with him was, how easily they could switch between fooling around and _fooling around_.

"Hmm...," she pretended to think about his question. She leaned her head against his shoulder, making herself as comfortable in his arms as possible. "To bed?" she finally mumbled and tried to sound tired. She could feel the tension in Hiccup's body, but after he'd teased her all night, it was her turn now.

"Alright," Hiccup replied hoarsely after a moment's hesitation. He carefully carried her through their flat; if he was disappointed by the prospect of actually going to sleep now, he didn't show it. Or maybe he just knew her well enough by now. "To _bed,_ or to sleep?"

Instead of answering, Astrid snuggled closer to his warm chest as he walked, and grinned to herself. Literally for hours, he'd teased her tonight and had pushed up her arousal until he'd managed to actually make her beg and scream. That demanded payback and she wouldn't let him get away easily. She let him walk past the kitchen while toying with a few ideas in her head, but when he entered the corridor that led to their bedrooms, she made her move. She didn't want to keep him in suspense for too long, not like this, at least.

She only needed to stretch a little to reach his earlobe with her mouth, sucking it between her lips and graze it with her teeth. By now, Astrid had learned that this was a particularly sensitive part of Hiccup's body, and ministrations like this served to get him up and hard quickly.

Of course, right now that was futile. Hiccup was already hard, and had been ready for an hour already, maybe longer. But it made him falter in his steps for a moment and drew a low moan out of his throat. Astrid could see how he gritted his teeth and couldn't help but grin wider. Oh, yes! Now it was _her_ turn to tease _him_. She kept working his earlobe between her lips and teeth, greatly enjoying the low noises he made in reaction. She only marginally noticed how he carried her past the door to her room and the bathroom door to _his_ room.

A small part of her wondered. During the last weeks, they'd spend their nights in her bed, or, occasionally, on the sofa when they'd been too exhausted to move. They hadn't talked about it, it had never seemed important enough. And, truth be told, it wasn't important enough to talk about it now, either. But it was unusual nonetheless. She knew Hiccup's room, had spent much time in here, talking about their work projects. She knew the dark carpet and the black walls with the uncountable pictures he'd drawn for fun, of film characters and dragons. She knew the wooden furniture painted in black, knew his bed with the black and red covers. She _knew_ this room! And yet, it felt _different_ to be here, now, and she couldn't even say _why_.

Hiccup stopped in the centre of his room and let her down on her own feet again. When Astrid looked up at him, his eyes were dark and dilated, hungry. And yet, he seemed to wait for something, some sign. With a sly smile, Astrid made a small step toward him until their bodies touched again. She lifted her arms to lay them around his neck and brushed her lips against his.

"Will you help me out of this dress?" she asked in a low voice, looking up at him through her lashes.

Hiccup let out his breath in an audible huff and nodded. He reached around her to open the zipper at her back and then let his hands glide over the fabric back to her front. His hands wandered around her waist and up over her ribs to her breasts to squeeze them lightly. It made her shiver and the heat in her lower belly flared up anew. But his hands didn't linger and wandered further up to the uncovered skin of her cleavage. He ran his fingers lightly over her collarbones, making her shiver and tremble before he slipped one hand beneath the now-loose fabric over her left shoulder. He brushed it aside, slowly, almost reverently, and watched as the silky dress glided off her in one fluid motion. His eyes became a little darker still as they drank in her naked body, obviously enjoying the sight.

But Astrid wasn't in the mood to let him _do_ anything, not even simply admire her.

"You're overdressed," she stated, and quickly flipped open the upper buttons of his shirt. Then she reached for his tight riding leathers and opened them as well before Hiccup could even react.

When he did react, it was with almost comical speed. He pulled off his shirt in one quick motion and, after letting her push down his leathers below his knees, pulled her against him again, hot skin on skin. His lips searched hers once more for a heated kiss and it almost made her resolve waver. With his tongue in her mouth, poking and sliding, it was all too easy to imagine his cock doing the same. And, _Gods_ , how she wanted to feel him inside her!

For someone who hadn't really kissed anyone until three weeks ago, he was a great kisser. No, that wasn't true. He was a _fantastic_ kisser, no matter when he'd started. And she loved every one of his kisses, no matter whether they were chaste and sweet, something in-between or hungry and passionate – like now.

Astrid hadn't noticed but somehow, Hiccup had to have kicked off his leathers. She did notice, however, when he slowly but purposefully walked her back toward his bed. Oh, but this was not what she'd planned... Grinning against his lips, she held on tight to his waist and, when they were close enough to the big and inviting looking bed, she turned them around and gave Hiccup a light shove.

Astrid hadn't been shy so far, but, clearly, he wasn't used to being treated like this either.

"Wha-what?" The surprised look on his face as he fell backwards and landed on the soft mattress was almost funny.

She gave him no time to compose himself. With catlike grace, she crawled on top of him and leaned down to whisper in his ear. "It's my turn now," she breathed and flicked her tongue against his earlobe. It made him shudder and Astrid couldn't keep herself from smirking at him as she retreated to seat herself on his lap. She could feel his cock, hard and hot beneath the cotton of his boxers, felt it twitch and jerk in search of the wet heat her body promised. Oh, but it wasn't time yet...

Slowly grinding herself against him, Astrid gazed down at Hiccup and drank in the gorgeous sight. His chest was heaving and his wide eyes were almost black as they hungrily watched her. She could practically see the inner fight behind them, the urge to turn them around and take her, struggling against his wish to watch and take what she had to give. When he lifted his hands to place them on her hips, she decided to make it easier for him.

Giving him a playful slap, she shook her head. "No, no, none of that," she purred. "Don't move, just watch."

Astrid saw the muscles in his neck and jaw tightening and smiled. He would behave, for now at least. Keeping up her slow grinding against his still-restricted cock, she reached upwards to lazily untie her hair. When it fell in golden waves down her back, she caught another gleam in Hiccup's eyes. She knew how he loved to bury his hands in her tresses and she loved it when he did. But now was not the time for that, not yet.

Instead, she leaned forward, placed her hands on his firm chest and let her hair fall like a curtain around them. There was nothing except the two of them, just her on top of him, just him beneath her. She sped up her movement, rocked herself against him with more purpose until his desperate groans filled the air between them.

"So, what do you want now?" she asked almost casually and bit back the laughter when she saw how he visibly struggled to form a coherent answer.

"You!" he finally gasped. "I... I want... you! Astrid, I... nngg..." he became a little cross-eyed as she deliberately pressed her centre against him more firmly. She could feel him twitch through the by now fairly soaked-through fabric and smirked.

"Mmmm," she hummed. "And which part of me? My hands? My mouth? My ass? My slit?"

Hiccup blinked rapidly and his lips moved but no words left his mouth. Apparently, he wasn't able to form a coherent answer and only keened desperately as his hips bucked up against her. Fair enough.

She leaned forward to let her lips ghost over his before she wandered south. Hiccup shook and trembled beneath her when her breath caressed his sweaty skin. She licked and nibbled at the side of his throat and listened to his ragged breathing and throaty moans. On her way down his body, she bit lightly into his hardened nipple, making him hiss and when she dipped her tongue into his belly button, she had to firmly press his hips down as he kept bucking up against her. He really was a gorgeous creature and she never got tired of worshipping his body.

When she reached his crotch, she placed a series of wet kisses onto the strained cotton over his bulge. Beneath her, Hiccup trembled with the effort to hold still and it was heady. She _knew_ that he could take over whenever he wanted. Sure, she wouldn't go down without a fight, but in the end, he was stronger than her. He didn't take over, however; instead, he let her have her wicked way with him, and she loved him all the more for his trust.

When Hiccup began to keen softly, she continued with light bites along his shaft until she reached the tip and closed her mouth around it. She slowly worked his head through the cotton with her tongue when Hiccup seemed to regain part of his senses.

"Ah... Astrid...," he moaned, writhing beneath the dulled ministration. "P-please..."

With gleaming eyes, Astrid lifted her head to look at him. "Watch me!" she ordered and reached for the waistband of his boxers to pull them off. As his cock finally sprang free, Astrid couldn't keep herself from humming in pleasure. It was a dazzling sight!

Hiccup's member rested thick and throbbing against his belly, flushed darkly. Hiccup whined as the relatively cool air hit his heated flesh but Astrid closed her hand around his shaft immediately and breathed warm air against him. Probably without intending to do so, Hiccup thrust up into her hand, his head falling back and Astrid loosened her grip around him again. This was not what she wanted!

Hiccup whimpered, but Astrid just tapped his thigh and repeated her words from a minute before. " _Watch_ me!"

She waited until he'd propped himself up on his elbows, flashed him an appreciative smile and made herself more comfortable between his legs before starting with her _work_.

Moving her loose hand slowly up and down his shaft, Astrid leaned closer to place a lingering kiss on his sack. After a few moments, she added her tongue to massage his balls and took them into her mouth to lightly suck on them. Hiccup keened needily and she looked up, her eyes drilling into his, keeping them locked on what she did. She wanted him to _watch_ as she dragged her lips and tongue up along the sensitive underside of his shaft all the way up to the tip.

"Oh, _f-fuuuck_..."

Hiccup's drawn-out curse and his wide, dilated eyes along with his twitching cock in her hand were beautiful rewards. Astrid couldn't help but grin against his flesh as she took it all in. Oh, sweet revenge!

She continued with short licks around the tip, every single one making Hiccup quiver and tremble. His hands were clenching in the sheets beneath them by now, she noticed, knuckles standing out white. Keeping up the slow movement of her hand, she alternated her tongue's ministrations every few seconds. Playing with his frenulum, running her tongue around the rim of his glans, teasing his slit, and returning to his balls again. She dipped her tongue to the sides and below, dragging it along the creases of his groins, shifting her focus over and over until Hiccup couldn't stand it any longer.

"Gods, Ast – Fuck! Astrid, please! I... I can't –" His pleas came out torn and guttural, his whole body shaking with the effort to hold still. His cock was almost purple by now, swollen and thick, precum leaking from its tip constantly. It was a delicious sight and Astrid enjoyed it greatly, almost too much to end it already.

Continuing to massage his balls with her free hand, she returned her attention to his cock. She blew warm air on the ever-leaking tip, and watched in rapture as he yelped and jerked.

"Astrid, please!" he urged, growling, his eyes going glassy.

Oh, but he'd asked so nicely. Had even begged. _Twice._

Without a warning, Astrid took him deep into her mouth, tongue pressing against his underside and bobbed rapidly up and down in time with her hand on his shaft. She sucked lightly and hummed into his flesh, greatly enjoying the way he desperately sobbed and jerked in reaction. Only seconds later, Hiccup's body coiled tight with tension, his words a jumbled mess.

"Fuck! Gods! Yes! Astrid, I'm – Fuck! – I'm gonna... gonna..."

She kept moving and sucking as Hiccup came like a freight train, jerking and head thrown back in a desperate howl. He filled her mouth with his cum, spurting down her throat, but she swallowed down quickly and kept sucking until the last drop, until he lay still and sated, trembling, staring at the ceiling with dazed eyes and a goofy grin.

Astrid let him slip out of her mouth as he softened and slowly crawled up his body again. She took her time to pepper his skin with light kisses on her way. She wanted to hit every freckle but, honestly, that was futile. She tried anyway though, and simply enjoyed his lax and warm body beneath her. Playing his body had effectively pushed up her own arousal as well again, but it would take a little time before Hiccup was ready for the next round. Well, they had enough time...

When she reached his chest, Hiccup began to react again. He chuckled shakily as her hair brushed tickling over his belly and a moment later, Astrid felt his warm hands on her waist, lightly holding her. She looked up to find him watching her intently even though his eyes still looked a little clouded.

"You're amazing," he murmured and pulled her up until their eyes were level. It seemed like he wanted to say more, his mouth opening and closing as his eyes searched hers, but, eventually, he shrugged. "Just amazing!"

Astrid smirked and pecked his nose. "I'm sure you must have had better blowjobs," she stated dryly even though she couldn't help but feel proud. "Surely, _they_ were eager to please you, hoping to keep you, or something."

"That's not what..." Hiccup frowned and then shook his head. He reached to cup her cheek with one hand and slowly let his thumb glide over her lips.

Astrid relished the contact and snuggled into his hand, seeking his warmth and love and comfort.

"They don't compare," Hiccup finally murmured and gave her an earnest look. "None of them compare to you, Astrid. But that's not what I meant. You're just..." Once again, he seemed at a loss for words.

But he didn't need to explain. Astrid knew what he meant, after all. Being with him, having sex with him, it was something completely different than the one-night-stands and short-term-arrangements she'd had so far. Even the occasional relationships with guys she'd thought she'd had feelings for didn't compare. Every touch and every laugh they shared was so much more meaningful that everything else seemed bland and boring in comparison. Because, no matter how... how _divine_ sex with him was, it were moments like these that mattered even more to her. Moments in which she felt safe and open, vulnerable and completely at ease.

With a warm smile, she turned her face to brush her lips against his palm and then leaned down to kiss him. Their kisses seemed more effective when it came to telling each other what they felt, anyway. This one was a slow kiss, soft and deep, their tongues practically dancing to the rhythm of their hearts, beating in sync. This was it, this warmth, this innermost connection that reached so much deeper than words could ever describe. This was what mattered the most.

As they kissed, Hiccup's hands began to slowly roam over her skin again. It probably wasn't meant to be arousing, not yet, as he stayed away from her most sensitive spots. But Astrid was heated enough already from her playing with him earlier, and she was quite ready to start the next round.

Grinning inwardly, she separated her lips from his, which earned her an irritated grumbling from below. Hiccup's complaints caught in his throat, though, as she ran her tongue along his jaw and sucked his earlobe between her lips a moment later. He jerked, his fingers flexing and digging into her waist in surprise. Astrid used his moment of distraction to lean closer, to nibble and lick at his ear and let her body rub against his in all the right places. Beneath her, Hiccup growled, the low sound rumbling through both their bodies and Astrid couldn't help but feel triumphant.

"Are you ready for the next round?" she hummed into his ear and then continued to move slowly above him. She didn't mind teasing him further, not at all! Maybe she could –

Astrid yelped as the air suddenly whooshed passed her. Everything was moving until she found herself lying on her back a moment later, with Hiccup above her. He had propped himself up on his elbows on either side of her, a considerable part of his weight resting on her, pinning her to the bed beneath her and rendered her unable to move. There was a fire in his eyes, a predatory gleam that made Astrid squirm in anticipation.

"If that's the kind of game you want to play," he purred, "then I'm going to win!"


	14. Epilogue:4 Endgame

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, more or less 100% smut... enjoy ;)

 

"If that's the kind of game you want to play, then I'm going to win!"

With a devious grin, Hiccup stared down at Astrid as she lay beneath him. Her beautiful eyes were wide, her lips slightly parted in surprise. And yet he could also see the mischievous gleam in those eyes, saw the sly smile tugging at those tempting lips.

Maybe he'd been too rash in proclaiming he would win. Maybe he should have thought about it for a moment first. Maybe he should have paid attention to her expression, or to the tone of her voice. Maybe he should have realised that this was what she'd wanted all along, that it had been her plan to tease him until he caved in and took over. He knew her, after all, knew how much she liked it when he became a little rougher.

Maybe she'd won already.

For a long moment, Hiccup gazed down at the wicked minx beneath him, at her blue eyes with that tantalizing fire in them and at her rosy lips that seemed to lure him in constantly. She was pure perfection, pure temptation, and he wasn't averse to give her whatever she wanted. Not at _all!_ He grinned inwardly as he thought about his options. Maybe she'd won this part but he was looking forward to keeping on _playing_ for a little bit longer.

Despite the awesome orgasm he'd just received from her mouth, his cock gave a heroic twitch at the thought of what exactly he could do to her now. There was one thing, in particular, he wanted to do, something he was dying to try. Something he hadn't dared to do so far, despite the fact that he already knew she liked it in general.

Since the moment she'd claimed him, had kissed him in their kitchen after that fateful night three weeks ago, since then he belonged to her. His heart, body, and soul were hers, and hers alone, for as long as she wanted him. Forever.

But right now, here, in his room, in his bed, she was _his!_

Never before had he felt possessive about someone, not like this. It had never mattered to him whether the girl in his bed would be with another man the next day. It had always just been for the moment, just for fun, just sex. With Astrid though, it was different. It was so much _more_. Being with her was everything, for life, for _ever_. She had claimed him and he was hers. And he had claimed her, too.

Now was the right moment. She was his and he was dying to see how she would react. Watching her carefully, Hiccup reached for her arms. She purred like a cat as his hands glided over her skin, slowly and soothingly, and pushed her arms up over her head. She seemed to luxuriate in the way her body lay stretched beneath him and he drank in the sight of her, growling deeply as she flashed him a challenging smirk.

Then he tightened his hand around her wrists and pinned them to the bed above her head.

Astrid's eyes widened as she felt the change. She looked up at him with a stunned expression, her chest heaving alluringly. He watched her closely for any signs of discomfort, of pain or fear, but there were none. Just a hint of surprise, washed away by a practically visible wave of arousal a moment later. She liked this, didn't she?

Hiccup grinned coolly and presses his hips down onto hers, effectively restraining her every movement. She could writhe and thrash, but that wouldn't do her any good, not until he decided to set her free again.

But before he could go on, he _needed_ to... Playfully fighting for dominance was one thing. They'd done that a lot during the last weeks. But this – actively taking away her ability to fight him without asking her permission first – this was not how he usually did this. Astrid was special in more than one way – in _every_ way – and he already knew about this little kink of hers. But still...

"You alright?" he asked a little huskily. She _seemed_ to be alright, but he needed to make sure nonetheless. As much as he enjoyed seeing her restrained like this beneath him; this was more about her than anything else.

For a few seconds, she just looked up at him, wordless and with an unreadable expression. Her eyes were clouded and her breasts were moving enticingly, swaying slightly with every breath she took.

"I'm alright," she finally breathed, cheeks flushed, and fidgeted slightly.

Hiccup couldn't help the sharp spark of arousal that shot through him. He could feel her entire body moving against his, all hot and sweaty skin over taut muscles, and couldn't keep himself from growling wantonly, nor from bucking his groins against her. Gods, this was more arousing than he'd anticipated. Keeping her prisoner with his body turned him on like rarely anything else ever had and she _liked_ it.

His thoughts flickered toward a certain drawer in his bedside table. There, amidst a few other things, lay a pair of soft leather cuffs; the kind that wouldn't leave any marks on her delicate wrists. For a moment, he seriously considered getting them out. He already knew how enticing she looked in leather, after all... And not keeping one hand above her head would give him more freedom to move. But he dismissed the idea again. If she really liked this, they could get to those cuffs another time. Today was more of an... _experiment._

Hiccup leaned down toward her. Keeping himself from kissing her was a challenge, but he needed to hold back. It was all too easy to lose himself in kissing her, so easy to forget everything else. But that was not what he wanted right now. He brought his lips close to her ear, flicked his tongue against it – just like she'd done a few minutes before – and growled, "It's my turn now!"

Astrid whimpered, a beautiful sound that made his blood boil hotter. He waited for another response but when none came, he continued on.

Savouring every second, he ran his mouth down the pale column of her neck, over her throat and across her chest. He took his time to cover her skin with damp, open-mouthed kisses, listening to her soft noises, and greatly enjoyed how she writhed at his ministrations. Once, almost accidentally, his lips brushed against her collarbone. Astrid jolted up against him at this contact, an urgent moan dropped off her lips, and it made his cock fill out further.

She was _his..._

Hiccup shifted his weight above her, and wished he'd gotten out the leather cuffs, after all. Holding her hands in place became _difficult_. He could have let go of her wrists to better reach her breasts with his mouth, but he didn't _want_ to. He wanted her like this, helplessly stretched out beneath him for him to ravish her.

With agonizing slowness, he dragged his lips, tongue, and free hand over the swell of her breasts, paying special attention to their sensitive undersides. Astrid gasped and bucked, keening softly, while he lazily worked his way up her soft hills. Her nipples stood firm and inviting, begging for the attention he kept denying them. Without any hast, he dragged his tongue and fingers in slow circles around them, over and over and _over._

A low stream of incomprehensible curses left Astrid's lips as he kept tormenting her. Close up, Hiccup noticed how her nipples got harder, saw her skin pebbling up, and watched her breasts move with every panting breath she took. She arched up toward him, pleading and begging for him to go on, but he held off a moment longer still, enjoying how her lithe body moved beneath him.

She was _his_.

Without warning, he closed his lips around one pert nipple as his hand closed around the other one. Astrid moaned loudly as he teethed the sensitive nub teasingly, flicked his tongue against it, and sucked on it, while he pinched and rolled the other one between his fingers. Her arms strained against his hold as her body became tense, thrashing and twitching helplessly.

Hiccup groaned into her flesh, as her movements made her rub against his now-fully-erect cock. For a second, his mind blanked out and he wanted nothing more than to thrust into her right now, to feel her wet heat surrounding him and her walls clenching down tightly.

Oh, but he wasn't _done_ yet. He wanted to enjoy this game just a little bit longer. He continued to work her nipples with his mouth and hand, savouring the way she kept twitching at every contact and the small noises she wasn't able to hold back.

_She was his!_

A part of him wanted to go on like this _forever_. He wanted to keep playing with her breasts, wanted to see whether he could make her come from this alone and how long it would take to make her scream. And he _would_ do that someday. When she agreed to him tying her up properly and when he had the patience for it. Which was not the case today...

"Hic– nnng... Hiccup, please–" Astrid's needy whimper was like a confirmation of his thought By now, he was painfully hard and he could feel how wet she was, too. It was time to go on.

Almost regretfully, Hiccup released her breasts. His own breath came out ragged by now, arousal running high in his veins as well. Gods, she was mesmerising. Every touch of her skin, every noise she made, everything she did had such a potent effect on him. She was like a drug and he could never get enough of her.

His warm breath brushed over her skin and she yelped, jerking wildly. She was a bit hypersensitive, wasn't she? A deep growl rumbled through him at that thought and he made a snap-decision.

"You're mine!" he purred, and sealed his mouth over her collarbone. His teeth dug into her skin and he sucked hard, renewing his mark on her. She was his.

"Hicc – Aah!"

Astrid cried out desperately as her body thrashed and shook, and he relished in it. She arched up against his mouth until nothing but her head and hands touched the sheets beneath them, and he wound his arm around her torso, holding her tightly. It was _intoxicating_ , and Hiccup was thoroughly drunk – by _her!_

With a lot of effort, he tore his mouth away from her skin, gasping for air and trembling with arousal. A second later, he pressed his lips to hers. It was a rough kiss, all teeth biting, lips clashing, and tongues fighting. "You're mine," he growled, over and over. "You're mine! Say that you're mine."

"I'm yours," she sobbed in-between kissing and biting. "Hiccup, I'm yours. Gods, I am! I'm yours. I'm yours and you're mine."

"Gods, yes! Yes, I am!" he groaned, and something inside him seemed to melt. He hadn't _needed_ this renewed reassurance. But he'd _wanted_ to hear it. From one second to the other, their kiss became deeper, more passionate and caring. The frantic desperation from before had evaporated, leaving only burning desire and love in its wake. Suddenly needing both hands, Hiccup finally let go of her wrists, and buried his fingers in her silky tresses instead. He cupped her head, fingernails scraping over her scalp, and swallowed all the little moans she made in response. Her arms, now free, quickly wandered around his neck, her hands roaming over his back and grasping his hair, while his mouth made love to hers.

Gods, how he loved her! She was his queen, his goddess. He worshipped her with everything he had, everything he was. He was _hers_.

"I love you!"

The words left him with a sigh. They were too weak, as always, but they were all he had. And Astrid didn't even reply – that felt like too much of a cliché for the both of them anyway. Instead, she drew him into another kiss, slow and ardent, and he felt her love flowing through him in an almost tangible wave that made him dizzy.

She shifted beneath him and they both groaned as his member further rubbed against her. Tendrils of heat shot through him and he wanted... needed... _had_ to be inside her, to be one with her. He just...

Retreating and rolling off her was agonizing, but necessary. Hastily, Hiccup reached for the bedside table with the dwindling pile of condoms and sheathed himself. They had their appointments for their STI checks next week, and he was looking forward to when they wouldn't need to interrupt for safety anymore.

He was back on top of her in no time, parting her legs and leaning in to kiss her again. His fingers glided into her with practised ease and virtually no resistance. Of course she was ready for him, but he'd still needed to make sure.

"S-stop teasing," Astrid whined as his fingers hit a sensitive spot. "Need you, Hiccup!"

He smirked against her lips... and complied. He nudged his cock against her entrance a few times, before pressing into her welcoming body with one careful stroke.

"Oh, _Gods!"_

Hiccup couldn't keep the small prayer from dropping off his lips – just like every time. Logically, he knew that, purely physically, she couldn't feel that much different from the other girls he'd been with. Except that she _did_. She felt _sublime._ In the beginning, he'd thought it was just the anticipation; that it would wear down after a few days. But it didn't. Every single touch from her was so intense, seemed to reach deeper than skin, ran bone-deep and set every single nerve inside him on fire. And this, being inside her, feeling her so hot and wet around him, feeling her tightly clenching down on him; it was so much _more_ than he'd ever experienced before with anyone else.

Panting, he rubbed that sensitive spot behind her ears with his thumbs, comforting her as she adjusted to him. It always took her a few seconds, seconds in which her wide eyes seemed to stare right through him before they shifted back into focus.

Then Astrid smiled weakly and pulled him down toward her. Her tongue was in his mouth before he could react, and he groaned as they came full circle. There was no fighting for dominance anymore, no playing games, and no challenge, just sensual sliding and gliding. Tongue over tongue. Hands over skin. Their bodies against one another as he began to move.

Slowly, he pulled out almost completely before pressing back in, again and again. Each time he filled her, her breath left her in a small gasp against his lips, and it drove him crazy. How could... _anyone_ state she wouldn't respond? Her responses were irresistible.

Those small gasps...

How she rolled her hips with his to intensify the friction...

The way her eyes widened every time he pushed back in...

Her fingernails digging into his skin when the tension inside her began to coil tighter...

He would _never_ get enough of her!

"Mmmh... more..." she moaned after a few... _dozen..._ thrusts, and repositioned her legs to meet his thrusts with her own.

Hiccup broke the kiss to look at her and sped up his movements, relishing in how she yelped or made some other sounds of pleasure every time he thrust into her. It was true, she wasn't loud, but that only made every noise she did make so much more precious to him. And her visible responses were... well... _divine_.

There was nothing like watching his _Divine Beauty_ while they were in bed together. Watching her made him want to pound into her as hard and fast as he could, just to watch her face contort in pleasure, to watch her bewitching body spasm and thrash. And all of it... all of it in reaction to what _he_ did to her.

Yet, at the same time, he wanted to go slowly, to draw the experience out as long as possible. He wanted to watch her eyelids flutter and her lips form unspoken words, wanted to watch her breasts sway every time they rocked into each other.

The conflict sent his head spinning.

Her movements sped up further and he followed, pushing in deeper and harder and _deeper_. Just like he knew she liked best.

Watching out for those little signs had become second nature to him, but simply _knowing_ what would turn her on most was so much more exciting. It meant he could hold back, withhold her pleasure until he thought she was ready. And, Gods, did he thrive on it.

He thrived on knowing her so well, knowing that this quivering of her lips meant that she was getting closer.

With one hand, he reached for her legs and pulled them higher up around his waist, knowing that it would make him hit the perfect spot inside her.

He knew that she could take it, no matter how hard he thrust, that she loved it when he became rough.

And he knew that his hands in her gorgeous hair, pulling at entangled strands and scraping over her scalp, was something that pushed up her arousal several notches, as was evident by her wanton moans.

He expected and welcomed the sharp pain of her fingernails digging into his back, tearing at his skin, knowing it meant she was teetering along the edge once again.

"Gods, you're so hot," he groaned as he pounded into her as hard and fast as he could. Her face and chest were flushed pink, her eyes dilated as they shifted out of focus. Her orgasm was only moments away.

"Hiccup!" she moaned loudly, her head falling back into the pillows. Her whole body became tense, coiled tightly in anticipation.

"Gods, yes!" Hiccup growled, and, on a whim, he leaned down to bite into the side of her neck, just below her ear. Teeth scraped over skin as he sucked her blood up into another prominent bruise and the sensation proved to be too much for her.

Astrid came with a scream, jerking hotly beneath his body, _against_ his body. Her inner walls clenched around his cock brutally, as if she was trying to suck him in completely. Her fingernails on his back dug deeper, drawing blood, and the pleasurable pain was the last bit to let him see stars, too.

"Ahhhh – _Astrid!_ "

Shouting her name, he followed her to Valhalla only seconds later. He pressed into her as deeply as he could, hips shuddering, as he spurted into the condom. She was so hot, so perfect. And she was _his!_

As he slowly floated down from his high, it took all his remaining strength not to simply collapse on top of her. Hiccup felt utterly spent and wonderfully drained. Panting, he let his forehead drop against hers, her face cradled in his hands. He could feel her hands roaming over his back. Her loving caresses stood in plain contrast to the still-burning marks she'd left on him, and sent warm shivers through his body.

He wanted to stay like this forever, completely relaxed basking in their closeness. But he risked losing the condom as he softened, so he rolled to the side and off her, taking her with him, and carefully pulled out of her.

Astrid sighed at the loss, but cuddled into his embrace as soon as he'd discarded of the condom, trying to stay as close to him as possible. "I love you," she whispered, and the warmth in her voice conveyed what the words alone couldn't say.

**. o O o .**

Hours later, Hiccup was still awake in his bed, lying next to his lover. Despite how late it was, he was quite content with holding Astrid in his arms and watch her sleep, as his thoughts wandered.

Having her lying here, in his bed and in his arms... it was strange, in a way. He couldn't say _why_ they'd always ended up in Astrid's room before. Maybe simply because it was closer, but that sounded like too lame an explanation. And it surely didn't explain why he'd brought her here today instead, and how that had affected him.

Maybe it was because of all the other girls he'd brought here before. Maybe he'd wanted to make sure that Astrid was different, that she wasn't one of _them_. He couldn't say why. All he knew was that today, after the game they'd played at the club, he'd somehow needed to play it through to the end.

He'd hit on her in the club, had danced with her and pushed up her arousal until it was too much for her to bear, had brought her here on his bike, and had sex with her in his bed. He'd done exactly what he'd done so many times before, and now he could definitely say that Astrid was _not_ one of them. Not that there had been any doubts, but still...

All this was so new and no matter how wonderful the last three weeks with her had been, there had been a spark of uncertainty, of fear. He'd never experienced what love was, not the love of his parents or any other family members, not the 'kind-of' love that long-lasting friendship provided, and surely not any form of romantic love for any of the girls he'd been with. A part of him had feared that what he and Astrid had would be just some temporary infatuation. He'd feared that keeping away from each other for so long had built up too much anticipation, and that it would fade as soon as they gave in to it.

But now, with the direct experience, he could definitely say that this was different. It _felt_ different. Their longing for each other wasn't dwindling. On the contrary, it seemed to be growing stronger and more intense with each day they spent together.

Hiccup looked down at Astrid's sleeping face. The moonlight falling through the window was just bright enough to allow him to make out her soft features. There was a peaceful smile on her face and it made his lips twitch into a smile as well. No, she was not one of them. She was so much _more_. It felt like all those girls he'd been with before had just been... preparation for these moments.

When he'd started spending his nights with random girls a few years ago, he'd been content with it. It had felt good, had been fun. It had fulfilled his physical needs, just like eating or sleeping did, too. It had been enough. Had he met Astrid back then at the club, she might very well have been just one of them. Just a hot girl he'd enjoy for the night, he'd have incredible sex with and then wouldn't think of ever again. That thought hurt... but he hadn't been ready for more then.

He had needed those years, had needed to get accustomed to life and to realise that _just sex_ wasn't what he wanted. His youth had been empty, and it had needed years and Astrid's friendship to realise it, to learn that there could be more. That he _wanted_ more.

Astrid was more. They had been a couple for only three weeks, but he already knew what he wanted. It was too early to think about going to a jeweller, too early to imagine how their life might be in ten years. He couldn't picture it yet. But deep in his heart, there was a hidden longing, something that seemed to pull him in a certain direction. He wanted everything, the whole _for-life_ package. With her.

Swallowing thickly, he reached out with a trembling hand to lightly caress her cheek and forehead. He didn't want to wake her, but he _needed_ to touch her. He needed to make sure that she was real, that this was not a dream. He'd been a player for so long, hadn't taken anything seriously. But this now, this was serious. What he and Astrid had was serious.

Or, putting it in other words: He was a player, always playing games. And she was his endgame.

The thought made him chuckle quietly. He'd come to love Astrid's music. He'd never been good at finding words that described how he felt, and it had never before been necessary to do so, either. But for her, he wanted to put into words how he felt. He wanted to tell her, to explain how thoroughly she'd turned his world upside down. And what better way was there than through the music she loved so much?

By now, Hiccup had his own set of favourite lyrics and asking T to play 'Dress' for her had been just the first step. He'd already thought about it days ago, knew what that particular song meant to her. And it wasn't like it didn't contain some of _his_ favourite lyrics, either. But when he'd seen her, seen that dress she clearly had bought only recently... It had settled his former idea. But aside from _waking up just in time to wake up by her side_ , there were so many other lines that captured his feelings perfectly.

Like the part about _love making him crazy_. Or _her being his drug that he'd use for the rest of his life._ Hiccup related to those lines strongly as they found their echo deep in his own heart.

Then there was the one about all _their pieces falling right into place_.

About him _having done_ _at least one thing right_.

And then, of course, there was _his_ new favourite song. He just needed to swap one word in his mind, _King for Queen_ , and the verse and chorus said everything there was to say.

_And all at once, you are the one I have been waiting for_

_Queen of my heart, body, and soul_

_And all at once, you're all I want, I'll never let you go_

_Queen of my heart, body, and soul_

_...  
_

_Late in the night, the city's asleep_

_Your love is a secret I'm hoping, dreaming, dying to keep_

_Change my priorities_

_The taste of your lips is my idea of luxury_

Inescapably, his eyes wandered to her soft lips and he sucked in a shaky breath. Instead of their usual rosy colour, they looked silvery grey in the pale moonlight, but that didn't lessen the effect they had on him.

He was virtually addicted to her lips, addicted to kissing her. Whenever he got the chance, he stole a kiss from her, tasted her lips and revelled in how she, too, seemed to enjoy this kind of contact.

Hiccup didn't even try to fight it. He leaned down to place a light butterfly kiss on her mouth. He hoped she wouldn't wake, but he wasn't able to stop himself either. His lips only brushed lightly against hers, barely actually touching. It wasn't enough to truly wake her, but when he retreated to look at her again, her smile was just the tiniest bit wider.

"Mmmh... love you..." Astrid mumbled, and turned to snuggle up to his chest.

Hiccup couldn't help but smile as well. Was she talking in her sleep?

Finally, he nestled down as well, laying one arm around her waist. She sighed happily as he drew her closer into his embrace and deeply inhaled the scent of her Desert-Rose-and-Sandalwood-shampoo and _her_.

"I love you, too," he breathed into her hair and felt the usual warmth spreading through him.

Love was such a big word, and yet, at the same time, it got used so often. Too often, really. It made finding its meaning harder. And yet, Hiccup was sure that love was what connected them. Not just sex and friendship but so much more, a bond forged out of so many different strings, strong yet flexible, tying them together without confining them.

He loved her and she loved him.

Forever.


	15. Epilogue 5: The Other Side (Part 1)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this epilogue, we go back in time a little. Namely, we go back to chapter three, Heather's appearance. But this time, we see the events from Hiccup's POV.

 

With a grin, Hiccup followed the black-haired girl into his flat. What was her name again?

Ah, right...

Heather.

One would think he would have remembered it by now...

"What are you waiting for?" she asked teasingly, and walked backwards, away from him and toward his bedroom. Her hands were already opening the long zipper at the front of her dress, and his grin widened at her bluntness.

"Coming," he replied, and he grabbed two bottles of water from the kitchen counter before going after her.

"I hope not," he heard her calling through the corridor, giggling. "That would spoil my fun immensely."

Hiccup snorted, but didn't even bother to reply. She should know by now that he wasn't a _one-shot wonder._ As he reached his door at the end of the corridor, he found her already lying on his bed, stark naked, with blatant lust in her eyes.

"Let's not waste any more time. Get naked and get over here."

Hiccup obliged happily, enjoying her appraising eyes on him as he stripped off his clothes. It wasn't like he _needed_ the validation, but it was nice anyway. Some girls became so shy once they entered a bedroom. Heather was a nice contrast to that.

Sex with her was nice, too. She was an interesting mixture of self-confident dominance and sinful submission, even though her shifts between them sometimes took him by surprise. Like they were never really on the same page. But when she came around his cock with that lewd cry on her lips, and he followed a couple of thrusts later, that didn't really matter. It felt _good._

"Thor, we should definitely do this more often," she panted, catching her breath, and took the water bottle he held out for her. "I mean, _wow!_ "

Hiccup couldn't help the small smile tugging at his lips. Yep, praises like that were always nice.

"How about we meet again. Say... the day after tomorrow? Maybe simply for a drink. Or... you could come to my flat right away, if you want."

Damn, she was _blunt._

But then... Wasn't that what he'd wanted to try? Seeing a girl more often, maybe try getting to know her. At least he already knew that she wasn't boring and the sex was worth it. But he shook his head nonetheless.

"The day after tomorrow... that's Wednesday, right?" he threw an exaggerated look at his watch, and she rolled her eyes at him. "Anyway... No, I can't. Wednesday is... I can't on Wednesday."

She frowned, but then shrugged. "Alright. The day after then?"

Chuckling inwardly, Hiccup turned to place his half-empty bottle on the nightstand. "Yeah, that should work." She wouldn't give up, would she?

"Wonderful!" she clapped her hands. "It's a date!"

"I guess it is."

Hiccup rolled back onto his back next to her, and she cuddled closer immediately. Then she stretched, and startled him, her face suddenly too close to his, her mouth nipping at his lips. Reflexively, he turned his head away from her, but fought the instinct to wipe off his mouth with the back of his hand. He didn't like kissing. It felt too intimate for him, even more intimate in a way than shoving his cock into her, or sucking on her clit. Kissing was a deal breaker for him – and she already knew that!

Heather became serious, retreated slightly, but kept her eyes intently on him. "Hiccup?" she sounded reluctant. "Erm... are we... are we dating now?"

Hiccup frowned. "You just said that we're going to have a date," he replied noncommittally.

"That's..." she hesitated, and when he cautiously glanced at her, she looked insecure. "That's not what I meant. I mean... like... like a couple. As... as boyfriend and girlfriend."

Hiccup paused at her words. Sure, in the end, that was where he'd meant to go, but... this quickly? He turned to look at her in earnest, and caught the hopeful expression on her face.

He tried to think it through, but... He'd meant to try out having a real relationship, and Heather seemed nice enough. She seemed to be genuinely interested in him, had even sought him out repeatedly. And the first time she'd been here, she'd animatedly chatted with Astrid for _hours_ , so there shouldn't be a problem between those two, either. He couldn't imagine having a relationship with someone who didn't get along with his best friend. Yes, Heather seemed to be as good a choice as he could hope for. And he didn't want to hurt her feelings right away, so he nodded.

"Yeah, I guess so," he answered with a cautious smile.

Her enthusiastic squeal made him chuckle, and, when she flung her arms around his neck, he took her into an embrace reflexively.

"But, you know," she began after a few moments of cuddling. "Kissing is kind of a part of being a couple. Could you... I mean, would you... at least give it a try? For me?"

He wanted to grimace, but stopped himself just in time. He didn't want to admit it, but she was probably right.

"Erm... okay?"

Heather's smile was radiant, triumphantly, her green eyes gleaming mischievously as she leaned in to brush her lips against his. He fought not to turn away directly again, and endured the not-quite-pleasant contact. It wasn't _that_ bad, he supposed...

She retreated, and grinned at him. "See? Doesn't hurt at all."

Hiccup sighed, and fought a smile on his weirdly-prickling lips. "Right..."

**. o O o .**

Hiccup could tell the exact moment when Astrid came home. As so often, he woke up, almost _feeling_ her presence, even before he heard the keys at the front door, or her steps on the corridor. He heard how she undressed in her room next door, the faint rustling of cloth, and could tell that she was alone. For a short moment, he randomly wondered whether she would touch herself before settling for sleep. She sometimes did that, when she came home from the club on her own. He could _hear_ it.

Uncomfortably, he shifted into another position, and groaned slightly as his returning erection rubbed against a warm body next to him. He bit his lip, and thought about going to the bathroom to deal with his problem, when the girl beside him stirred.

"Mmmhh...'ccup?" she murmured, and he remembered that it wasn't just some random girl lying in his bed.

It was Heather.

His _girlfriend..._

_Gods!_

"Yeah," he whispered soothingly. "Go back to sleep. I'll be right back."

He made attempts to crawl out of bed, but Heather chuckled quietly, and surprisingly firm hands landed on his hip to hold him in place.

"You're not going anywhere, Mister," she hummed, and her hand found his half-erect cock with laser-like precision. She stroked him leisurely, but with obvious purpose, and he couldn't suppress the groan that touch elicited. Falling back into his cushions, he gave in to her insistent ministrations, fighting to become not too vocal. He knew that Astrid would be able to hear every single sound, and he didn't want to wake her, if she was asleep by now.

With surprising swiftness, Heather put a condom on him, and straddled him to ride his cock. At first, he let her. But when she started to moan wantonly, he deftly grabbed her hips, and turned them around.

"Be quiet," he ordered, purring into her ear. He put a playful tone in his voice, but actually meant it as the command it was. She was _loud_.

"Why?" she asked, and, as if to challenge him, moaned louder when he kept pushing into her.

Hiccup grimaced. _Because you're waking my best friend in the other room_ didn't seem to be a good answer.

Distracted by that though, he didn't notice how she reached for his hand, and guided it toward her breast. He only noticed how she yelped when he pinched her nipple out of reflex. Gritting his teeth, he went on, flinching inwardly at every single one of her loud exclamations of pleasure.

"Gods, yes!" she mewled. "Harder, Hiccup. Faster!"

That was too much.

Without a warning, he pulled out. "Turn around," he told her and she complied eagerly, a mischievous smirk on her lips as she got on all four. He got back inside her and thrust harder to push her down into the cushions. She seemed to like it, so he didn't feel too guilty for using such a method to quiet her at least a little.

She shrieked when she was close, and he reached for her clit to get her off quickly. Her loud scream surely was audible in the entire building...

His thoughts drifted toward Astrid in the other room again, making a mental note to apologise to her in the morning should Heather had woken her.

His orgasm came suddenly and with a force, he hadn't expected. His room became a blur, his head an empty mess, and for a moment, just for a second, he thought he could hear Astrid's low whimper through the paper-thin wall.

**. o O o .**

When Hiccup woke in the morning, it was to the pleasant scent of fresh coffee and the even-more-pleasant sensation of a hot mouth around his cock. He hummed in pleasure, and let her have her way with him, sucking him hard and then riding him even harder. It was a damn great way to wake up!

Even her too-loud screams didn't really bother him this time. Surely, Astrid was awake already, and was probably listening to her music anyway. She might not even have heard them.

After taking a big sip of his coffee – _Ugh, too bitter!_ – and a good morning kiss from Heather – _Nope, he still didn't like those..._ – he took a shower and went over to their kitchen.

"Morning, Astrid!" he greeted her with a warm smile when he saw her sitting at the kitchen counter, staring down at her drawing tablet. But instead of smiling and greeting him cheerfully, as usual, she just glanced at him for a second, grunted, and turned her gaze back down to her work. Hiccup frowned, wondering whether he'd upset her in any way. Had he forgotten something? He'd done the shopping this time. And her birthday was still almost half a year away. Ah, maybe she was just engrossed in her current project. She could get quite focused on those sometimes.

Shrugging, he turned toward the espresso machine he'd bought Astrid for Yule last year - and frowned again. What in Thor's name had happened to all the settings? Wrong temperature, wrong pressure, and - he sniffed at the damp mash that was still in the filter basket and grimaced - definitely the wrong brand of coffee as well. No wonder his coffee had tasted so awful.

"So, you two had fun I guess?" suddenly came Astrid's acid remark, and he winced. So, she _had_ heard them...

Shit, he'd wanted to apologise!

Feeling guilty, he shrugged offhandedly and said, "Can't complain," while correcting the settings on the machine again. Yes, it _had_ been fun, but he didn't want to annoy her further by saying so. And there was the part where, he should tell her that Heather might be here more often from now on. Hopefully, he could persuade Heather to quiet down a little, or he'd have a lot more apologies to make in the near future. Trying to find the right words to tell Astrid about his girlfriend, he turned to look at her again – and noticed her unnerved scowl.

An amused smile tugged at his lips as realisation dawned on him. Of course! The two must have already met this morning. Of course, it had been Heather who'd distorted the settings while preparing his coffee. And he knew how much Astrid disliked it, when one of their _guests_ touched her machine.

She was so distracted that she didn't even notice as he sneaked up behind her. But when he wound his arms around her waist, she jumped, and he couldn't keep himself from grinning.

"What, you don't like her?" he whispered against her neck, fully intending to tease and distract her. He didn't want her to be angry at Heather. It would be a bad start for this attempt at a relationship if Astrid didn't get along with his girlfriend right away. He hoped she could be open-minded about her, and not biased because of a small slip-up like using her sacred espresso machine.

"I thought you two might be BFFs by now," he continued, trying to remind her of how they'd gotten along well when Heather had been here before. "I was under the impression you enjoyed your conversation the last time. She's a lot like you." Okay, that might be an exaggeration. There _were_ similarities between Astrid and Heather, like how they both were quite self-confident. But those weren't all that prominent.

"I'm nothing like her!" Astrid hissed, confirming his own thoughts, and he chuckled. He retreated, turned her around on the rotating bar-stool, and then came closer again.

"You're right, you're not like her," he murmured absentmindedly. He wanted to say more, wanted to tell her that she was more important to him, and always would be. That she was _too_ important to risk their friendship over a girl that didn't mean much to him so far. That he wanted to try having a relationship, like she'd recommended, but that he would consider her judgement if she thought Heather wasn't the right one. But leaning heavily on her armrests, he got distracted by her deep sky blue eyes, and forgot everything he'd wanted to say. Her eyes were so warm and open, so unlike Heather's, which always seemed to have a mischievous gleam in them.

Like last night, right before she'd kissed him.

For the fraction of a second, his eyes flickered down to Astrid's rosy lips. Would kissing her feel equally weird? He knew her so well... Would the intimacy of a kiss bother him, when it was Astrid's mouth on his? A part of him wanted to try, curious as to whether it would feel differently, would feel better.

But he dismissed the thought right away again. He _might_ try kissing with Heather, but Astrid was his _friend_. With her, he didn't _need_ to try things he didn't like. And then, he already knew that _kissing her_ didn't bother him.

Smiling at this thought, Hiccup stretched, and pressed his lips to her forehead. The friendly kiss let a wave of warmth wash over him, made his heart swell, and, as always, settled every bit of anxiety he might feel. No matter what happened, as long as he had Astrid and her friendship in his life, he would be able to cope with everything else. Even with a girlfriend.

"You will always be my favourite," he murmured, and it was true.

Astrid chuckled as if in agreement, but her pure and unaffected laughter was drowned out by Heather's voice a moment later.

"Am I interrupting something?" his girlfriend asked, a confused expression on her face, and he straightened again.

"Naw, just some friendly bickering," he said lightly, and led her to the door. It felt weird to do so, personal somehow. That was appropriate, he guessed.

In the doorway, she turned toward him once more. "See you soon then?" she asked, a hopeful smile on her face.

Hiccup grimaced inwardly. He was aware of Astrid being close enough to listen in, and this was not how he'd wanted her to learn about this change in his life. But he couldn't help it now, and affronting Heather because he hadn't remembered telling Astrid in time would be stupid.

"Yeah, I guess so," he said, smiling. He was looking forward to spending another night with her, if nothing else.

She returned his smile, but didn't leave, seemed to wait for something.

Oh, right...

Bracing himself, he leaned down and kissed her. It wasn't so bad, just a light brushing of their lips, and it was over soon anyway. But Heather gave him a warm smile nonetheless, turned, and vanished down the stairs.

Sighing, Hiccup returned to their living room. This first morning in a relationship hadn't been _that_ bad. Although he had to admit, he felt lighter now that she was gone. He probably would need a bit longer to get accustomed to the idea of being someone's boyfriend now.

But that was a problem he would deal with when it came up again. For now, it was simply him and Astrid again, and he was looking forward to spending some time with her. Too bad _Thor: Ragnarok_ wouldn't be in cinema until next week, going to watch a film would be perfect today. Well, they surely would find something else to do. First, he needed to make up to Astrid, for disturbing her sleep and for not telling her about Heather right away.

He turned on the stereo, set it to her current favourite playlist, and then started warming the stovetop. "So, how about breakfast? I'm awake early; you might as well make use of that. Bacon and eggs?" he said cheerily. Her favourite music and her favourite morning food. That surely would help soften her up for an earnest apology.

But instead of accepting his offer and ordering her meal with an extra share of cheese, as usual, she slid off her stool and reached for her tablet. "No, thanks. I lost my appetite," she murmured in a weak voice, and swiftly walked passed him to the corridor that led to their rooms.

Bewildered, Hiccup gazed at where she'd disappeared around the corner. What in Thor's name... Absentmindedly, he turned the stovetop off again, and then leaned onto the kitchen counter, frowning in confusion.

He felt like something had just gone horribly wrong, something big. And he had no idea what it had been.


	16. Epilogue 6: The Other Side (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Again... In this epilogue, we go back in time a little. Namely, we go back to chapter four this time, Eret's appearance. But this time, we see the events from Astrid's POV. It's a painful chapter full of angst... just... keep in mind that it's the past and you already know how it all ends?

 

_Hey, honey._

_Dagur and his 'friends' are driving me nuts._

_Mind if we meet at your place today?_

_E._

With an anxious frown, Astrid looked over Eret's message, glowing on her phone's display. It wasn't exactly an unexpected question, but it made her feel uneasy nonetheless. She and Eret had been loosely dating for a week already, but letting him come here still felt... weird.

But then, that wasn't surprising, was it? He was her getaway car, her way to get over the loss of something which had never really existed. He was a distraction, and even though he was nice and friendly, it was still hard not to think about a certain someone _else_ all the time.

A someone that she could hear rummaging about in the kitchen right now.

Her heart cramped painfully, and she hastily wiped away the traitorous tear that was threatening to escape her eye. Gods, she was pathetic! For almost a month now, Hiccup was in a solid relationship with that bitch. _Heather!_ One would think that Astrid would be over him by now.

But she wasn't, and it _still_ hurt like it had on that first day. Maybe it wouldn't have been so bad if things between them had stayed as they had been, if they still had been close friends who had fun together when they weren't having sex with other people. But even _that_ had changed.

Heather now occupied all of Hiccup's time. She made sure that Astrid wouldn't get her hands on _her_ boyfriend. They hardly ever spent a night apart, and on the rare occasions they did, it was because Hiccup desperately needed to catch up to his work. Which meant that there was no chance to sneak in a film night or anything like that.

Of course, Astrid was to blame there as well. She hadn't been able to stand his presence for a solid week after she'd seen him kissing Heather. It was stupid, and she knew it. She'd teased him so often, had suggested he should look for something more solid. And now that he had... She couldn't take that away from him. He'd done what she'd told him, he'd moved on. If he wanted to be with Heather, then she wouldn't stand in his way.

And he _obviously_ hadn't wanted to be with her anyway, so why bother?

All she had to do now was to move on as well. She would get over him, would accept that Hiccup didn't want her like she wanted him.

A knock on her door tore her out of her thoughts, and hastily, she reached for her stylus.

"Yes?" she called, and pretended to be busy working on her tablet as the door opened.

"Hey Astrid," he said, his voice painfully familiar.

She forced a plain smile on her face and looked up at him. "Hey," she replied, weaker than intended. "What's up?"

A needless question as it turned out. The scent wafting through the open door made her swallow, stomach growling, and her grip on her pen tightened.

"Dinner's ready," he said with a soft smile. He looked achingly beautiful, with that warm gleam in his eyes, cheeks flushed from the stove's heat. "I made Mac and Cheese. I know, it's a bit early, but... Well, I'm at Heather's later, so... so I thought we could eat now and... you know... chat a bit?" He sounded hopeful, but his words felt like knives in her heart.

They could eat and chat, but it wouldn't be like it had been before. _She_ was not who she'd been before. Before, she'd had hope...

It was petty, and she knew it, but she couldn't _change_ it. Sitting down at their low coffee table to eat, chat, and laugh with him... The thought made her flinch inwardly. She would be lying. Every smile and every laugh would be an act. She would be fighting the pain in her heart at every single second, and, surely, he would notice. He would see through her act, but wouldn't understand. He would be hurt, because she couldn't tell him what upset her. And they would go about the rest of their day even more miserable than they were now.

"Sorry, but I don't have the time now," she replied with an artificial smile, and nodded down at her drawing tablet. "I need to get these finished. The client is impatient already."

Hiccup's shoulders slumped slightly, and it _hurt_. She didn't _want_ to disappoint him. He'd probably just spent almost an hour in the kitchen, preparing her favourite comfort food. From scratch, as she knew very well, and probably even the full eight-types-of-cheese version. No, she didn't want to let him down, but it was better than the alternative.

"I'll eat it later," she promised, and then in a desperate attempt to sound casual, asked, "When are you heading out?"

He gave her an unreadable look, and then replied, "In an hour, maybe a bit earlier." He paused, hesitantly tapping his hand against her doorframe, but went on, "So... Any plans for tonight? Are you going to the club?"

Astrid dropped her gaze back down to her tablet. His shot at small talk was well-meant, but she just couldn't do it. "No. I'll stay here and... I don't know..." She shrugged insecurely, letting the answer drop.

Uncomfortably, Hiccup shifted his weight from one leg to the other, and scratched at the back of his head. "Okay. I... I'll let you work then," he mumbled, and attempted to leave, but then turned back to her once more. "I'm going to drop by Tesco's later. Do you want me to get you anything?"

A sad, though honest, smile tugged at her lips at his offer, but she shook her head nonetheless. "No, thanks. I still have those pralines you brought me the last time." Somewhere stuffed in the back of her closet, waiting for her to have a real crying jag. She would need them then.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Hiccup nod.

"Alright. See you tomorrow then."

The door to her room closed, and Astrid slumped down in her chair, burying her face in her hands. She was acting stupid, and she knew it. She _knew_ it, dammit!

Hiccup's attempts at reconnection were well-intended, but she wasn't ready for that yet. He wanted her as nothing more than a friend. She _had_ to accept that. It was time she got over him. And, maybe, in a couple of months, when she'd managed that, they could be friends again.

With shaky hands, she reached for her phone again, and typed in an answer to Eret.

_Sure,_

_I'm working now, but you can come over in about an hour, maybe a bit later._

_A._

It was about time she gave her relationship with Eret an honest chance.

**. o O o .**

Almost an hour later, Astrid stood at her bedroom door, and anxiously listened for the noises outside. She dearly hoped the tight time-table would work out, and cursed herself for not telling Eret to drop in later. What if Hiccup got delayed somehow, or Eret came five minutes earlier? She didn't want them to run into each other. Not yet. She didn't want Hiccup to know about her kind-of-boyfriend, not just yet. She probably _should_ tell him, but... Hel, she didn't even know herself where she wanted things with Eret to go. They had agreed upon seeing each other regularly, but her heart wasn't really in it yet.

She could hear footsteps outside, and when they stopped in front of her door, Astrid held her breath. She hoped...

What... that he would knock once more? That he would notice how upset she was, and would take her into his arms to comfort her? Gods, what would she give for his embrace right now...

But that was just as out-of-reach as the half-baked fantasy she'd had earlier: that he would run into Eret after all, get jealous, and realise, finally _realise_ that he actually loved _her_. That he would tell Eret to leave, and break up with Heather. That he would kiss her, would tell her that he loved her, that he wanted only her, for the rest of his life.

The steps outside continued and faded like her fantasy, and Astrid let her head drop against the wooden door. Gods, she was a messed-up wreck...

She heard Hiccup leave their flat, and hurried into the kitchen the moment he was gone. With a growling stomach and a sinking heart, she prepared herself a bowl of what he'd cooked for her, and sighed as the scent of reheating pasta filled the room. She tore into her meal with relish, while guilt kept nagging at her soul.

He'd prepared this for her specifically, had even put in the effort to buy and grate each of the different cheeses. He _knew_ how much she enjoyed his unique combination of Cheddar, Gouda, Mozzarella, Brie, Parmesan, and whatever else he put into it to make it taste so incredible. He'd ruined her forever on the out-of-the-box instant version, and she was fine with that. She just might end up never eating Mac and Cheese again...

He'd wanted to talk...

Astrid knew that she owed him at least _some_ kind of explanation. But what should she say? That she'd fallen for him, her best friend, and that seeing him with someone else hurt like Hel? That she'd been so stupid as to think they could be a couple one day, and that considering _Heather_ as better for him was a crushing blow to her ego? What was the point of talking, when she couldn't tell him the truth anyway?

Midway up to her mouth, she let her hand with the spoon drop again, and stared down at the only half-emptied bowl. No, she couldn't go on like the last month. She simply _couldn't!_ She had to get over him.

She had just placed the bowl by the sink when the door-bell rang. Wiping away all traces of traitorous tears, she went to let Eret in.

"Hey, beautiful," he greeted her. He wrapped his arms around her waist, and lifted her off her feet.

Astrid chuckled shakily, and fought to banish her gloomy thoughts from her mind. Eret was here _for her_ , and she definitely owed him the courtesy of not thinking of another man while she was in his arms.

"Hey, Eret. Come in."

He followed her into the living room, and whistled in appreciation. "Woah, sweet! Remind me, why haven't we been here before?"

Astrid glanced around the room, and felt a small smile tug at her lips. It was something of an impressive room, with the open kitchen that occupied half of it, and the comfortable sofa arrangement around the big TV filling the rest. The walls were covered by drawings, or with shelves for books and DVDs. But to her, by now, it was simply home, the place she felt most comfortable in.

"Did you bring some more comfortable clothes?" Astrid asked, instead of replying to his question. "You can change in my room, if you want to get out of your riding leathers,"

"So eager to get me out of my clothes?" he asked teasingly, and she rolled her eyes. "Just kidding, honey. Which one is your room?"

"First door on the left," she replied, indicating toward the corridor, the only exit of this main room except the front door. "Bathroom's to the right, if you need it."

She cleaned her bowl and put it away into the cupboard. A couple of minutes later, Eret was back.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and glanced over her shoulder, as she was about to reach for the Mac and Cheese pot to put it into the fridge.

"Did you cook for me? You didn't need to, but I won't say no. That looks delicious."

Astrid's grip on the handle tightened protectively. _Hiccup_ had made this. For _her!_ But then, she forced herself to relax again, shook her head, and turned to look at Eret again.

"No, my friend... my flatmate made this." She hesitated, but then added, "Do you want some?" It was just food. Nothing personal, nothing precious. Just something to eat.

Something Hiccup had spent almost an hour preparing...

"Yeah, why not. Mind if I have a look around while you're busy here?" He left her standing, and Astrid paused, staring disbelievingly after him, before shaking her head and preparing another bowl for him.

"Your flatmate has a funny taste in films," Eret stated while browsing through _her_ DVD shelf. "Superheroes, animated kids movies, _Doctor Who?_ How old is he, twelve?" He paused when his eyes reached another section, and then laughed. He pulled one DVD out and held it up to her. Her copy of _Titanic_. "And tearjerkers like this? Sure he's not gay?"

She forced a tight smile on her face, not in the mood to defend her taste in films. "Pretty sure, yeah. Sorry, but there's no point in introducing him to Dagur," she said dryly, and returned her concentration to portioning out cheesy pasta. "I mean, he's at his girlfriend's right now, and..."

And she should definitely stop thinking about him!

She jumped as Eret was suddenly behind her again, his lips brushing against her ear. "I know those are your films," he murmured, winked at her when she turned, and took the pasta bowl out of her hands. He chuckled as he made his way to one of the sofas, and she followed a couple of seconds later, an honest smile on her lips now.

Right... Being with Eret was fun. That was what had drawn her to him in the first place. That he could make her smile, even when she didn't feel like it.

They debated about which film to watch while Eret ate. Astrid tried to convince him to watch _Doctor Who_ with her – Christopher Eccleston or maybe Peter Capaldi. Eret wouldn't appreciate Matt Smith. And watching David Tennant was out of the question right now... – and then there was suddenly a loud beeping noise echoing through the flat.

Astrid frowned at the unfamiliar sound, but Eret was up on his feet in an instant.

"Sorry. I forgot to turn off my phone," he said, swiftly striding out into the hallway. Schrugging, Astrid cleared the table while he was gone.

"Something important?" she asked when he came back, but he shrugged and shook his head.

"Naw. Just a friend texting me. I've turned it off now." He crawled back onto the sofa next to her and further still, pushing her down into the soft cushions. "And now that I've eaten, there's another appetite I'd like to satiate," he murmured against her neck, and it tickled.

Astrid giggled, and let him continue. He teased her with sloppy kisses all over her neck and shoulders, but when he began to slowly peel off her shirt, she stopped him.

"Eret, wait..."

He paused, but only reluctantly. "Why?" he groaned against her neck, one hand fondling her breast, and that made forming coherent sentences difficult.

"Let... let's get over... my room..."

"Mmmhh no," he growled. "Too far away."

Fair point, but... She didn't like having sex here in the living room. It would feel weird to sit on this sofa the next day, even after cleaning it. She had done it a couple of times and so had Hiccup, but still... And it didn't sit right to get intimate with Eret here, where she'd sat cuddled to Hiccup's side so many times before, and –

_And screw Hiccup!_

What did it matter? What did it matter, that he'd held her in his arms right here in this spot? What did it matter, that she'd felt safe and warm so many times while sitting here? Nothing of that had been _real._

Eret grunted in surprise as she became more active. She tore at his clothes and awkwardly wiggled out of her skirt and leggings. Then she grabbed him and turned them around until she sat over his lap.

This was her life. I didn't matter that he'd broken her heart. She was strong. She was over that idiot.

With practiced swiftness, she got rid of her underwear, pulled at Eret's trousers, and leaned down to take his member in her mouth once it was free.

She was in control.

"Woah, honey, go slowly or – _Oh fuck! –_ I... Aahh... I-I take that back. Go on, honey. Gods, this feels amazing!"

Eret's shouting and babbling made her grin around him, and she kept working his cock until he was fully erect.

Then she straightened up, a triumphant smile on her face, and asked, "Condom?"

Eret grimaced, but indicated toward his discarded trousers. "Side pocket."

Astrid reached for it, sheathed his cock, and sank onto him a moment later. It stung. She wasn't wet enough yet for it to feel entirely comfortable, but she didn't care.

This was not about pleasure, but about control. _She_ was in control. She was in control of her life. She was in control of her body. And she was in control of her heart.

Hiccup wasn't worth it to cry over him.

Angrily, she began to bounce up and down.

If that idiot liked to fuck that bitch... So what?

She could do that, too! She would fuck Eret all the way to Valhalla and back, and she didn't gave a _shit_ about what Hiccup might be doing right now.

Eret reached for her hips, trying to slow her down, to pull her toward him to kiss her, but she would have none of that. This was not about romance, either.

Her thick braid flapped around at her back, distracting her, and Eret seemed to notice. He reached for the band that held her hair tight, but she shook her head, pulling the plait out of his reach.

She didn't feel like letting her hair down... Only a few people had ever seen her like that, and it didn't feel right to do so now with Eret. Not while she was chasing away her feelings for someone else.

With Hiccup, she'd never felt so reluctant...

Unbittenly, his face appeared behind her closes eyelids. His achingly beautiful face with those warm green eyes, the striking jaw-line and chin, and the thick hair she so liked to play with. She saw those freckles that seemed to covered his entire body, and saw all those little scars, remembered the stories Hiccup had told her about them.

A sob tore itself out of her throat, and she quickly covered it as a noise of pleasure.

What was she doing here? Why was she lying all the time?

Lying to Hiccup about what she did tonight...

Lying to Eret about using him...

Lying to herself about... _everything..._

Whimpering, she let her head fall back. She was an idiot! All this wouldn't help her get anywhere...

Beneath her, Eret's grunts became more urgent. He was probably close, she guessed. She couldn't tell, hadn't paid much attention to him. Well, she at least should finish him off, before making any decisions. She owed him that much at least.

She kept riding him for his pleasure only, while her mind was filled with pictures of Hiccup, and her heart was filled with guilt.

But, Freya, it felt _good_. Just thinking of him made her feel light and warm, even as it made her guts coil tightly. It was almost as if he was there, as if she could feel his eyes on her, and –

A suppressed gasp distracted her. A gasp that came from the wrong direction and that was definitely _not_ Eret's.

Her eyes flew open, and she stopped mid-movement when she saw _him_ standing in the doorway.

"Hiccup!" she screeched, just as Eret began to complain, urging her to go on.

For a moment, Hiccup simply stared at her. His dilated eyes were glued to her body, his lips slightly parted. His face was flushed, and he looked... aroused? Because of... _her?_

But he tore his gaze away from her directly. "Erm... hi," he muttered, swallowing hard. "Ah... Don't let me disturb you. I'll just... erm... go, and..." He waved his arms around in his usual manner, and was gone a second later.

Astrid stared after him until the sound of a door slamming shut echoed through the flat.

"Oh, shit!" she breathed, slumping down. She glided off of Eret's lap, and pressed a hand over her mouth to keep her lips from trembling.

"Was that the guy you told me about?" Eret asked, sitting up as well, and throwing a slightly unnerved look in the direction Hiccup had just disappeared to. "Your ' _friend'?_ " The air quotes around the word _friend_ were practically audible.

"Yeah..." Astrid mumbled uncomfortably. What was he doing here? Why wasn't he at Heather's? And why hadn't they gone to her room, dammit? "But he shouldn't be here."

Eret let himself fall back into the cushions. "So what?" he asked, and made himself comfortable again, ready for her to mount him again.

Astrid stared at him in disbelief. Did he honestly expect her to simply continue from where they'd stopped just now? After Hiccup had run into them? After...

With a pounding heart, she slid off the sofa and made to follow Hiccup on wobbly legs.

"Ah, hey?" Eret called after her. "What are you doing, honey?"

She had to... to apologise... to explain... had to tell him that... that...

That what?

_That it wasn't what it looked like? Ha!_

"I need to talk to him!" she said, holding back a sob. She had to say... _something!_ Just...

Eret snorted. "Without any clothes on?" he asked incredulously, and Astrid paused.

He was right... She was about to run after Hiccup, stark naked, physically aroused, and covered in sweat, Eret's and her own. What was she _thinking_?

"Oh, sweet Freya _singing!_ " she cursed under her breath, and snatched one of the folded blankets off the sofa's backrest. "Wait in my room, okay? I'll... I'll be right back."

Eret shook his head disbelievingly, but didn't argue, and started to pick up their discarded clothes as she hurried after Hiccup.

When she reached his door, she paused to securely wrap the thin blanket around her body before opening his door. And then realised that she should have knocked first. She really should have knocked...

Hiccup sat on his bed, riding leathers half-way pushed down his legs, effectively wearing nothing but a snugly fitting black t-shirt and boxers. She registered the considerable bulge in those boxers, and for the fraction of a second, she considered simply pushing him down onto his bed and –

_Pull yourself together..._

"Hey," she breathed, cursing the residual arousal still running through her veins from before. Gods, she still _wanted_ him.

"Hey," he replied calmly, and gave her a warm smile.

That smile... it _hurt!_ It was the sort of smile he'd given her in the past as well, before... before...

Why was he here? Why wasn't he with his girlfriend? Had they...

"You're back early," she pointed out cautiously, fighting the spark of hope that flared up in her chest. Could it be...?

"Yeah. Heather kind of stood me up. Has to help her brother, or something," he said, unperturbed, and shrugged. Absentmindedly, he fiddled with his riding trousers, and Astrid averted her gaze.

_Fucking pull yourself together!_

"I see," she whispered, glad that he couldn't look her in the eyes right now. So, they hadn't broken up... Of course, they hadn't! What had she been thinking?

She shouldn't be here! She shouldn't be in his room, effectively naked beneath a thin blanket and with him stripping off one piece of clothes after the other. Why had she come here anyway?

"I... I'm sorry for that just now!" she blurted out. "I didn't think you'd come back, and..." she bit her lip, stopping herself from babbling nonsense. He'd caught her fucking someone else while thinking about him. In their living room. There was no excuse for that.

"Hey, It's okay," he said lightly, soothingly. "It's not like similar hasn't happened the other way around already." He winked at her.

He _fucking_ winked!

No, something like this hadn't happened before already! Hiccup hadn't slept with another girl while thinking of her. Because he never thought of like that. Because he had no idea of her feelings for him. Because he never paid attention to her! Because –

"I just... didn't you say you want to spend the night at home? Where did he come from? It's a bit early to be back from the club already."

Oh, shit...

Astrid's cheeks flushed when he caught her lie. Why did he have to be so observant today of all days? But there was no point in withholding the truth any longer, was there? Hel, there had _never_ been a point in doing so.

"Erm, right," she started hesitantly. "See... Ahm... His name is Eret. And he... well, he's kind of..." she paused again, biting her lip, and then continued, "my boyfriend."

Hiccup's eye widened, and his jaw dropped a little. "Your... what?" his asked, surprise clear in his voice. "When did that happen?"

"Yeah, I... I wanted to tell you earlier already," she began hesitantly. "But there never seemed to be the right moment, so..." she trailed off and threw him an apologetic look. Those were all excuses. She'd been afraid. Afraid of how he would react. Afraid, he might not react at all...

"But... how..." he sputtered, stunned, and that spark of hope began to rise in her chest again.

"Well, we met about... a week ago," she started hesitantly, inwardly debating about what and how much she wanted to tell him now. A part of her wanted to elaborate, still hoping he might get jealous, while another part wanted to hide and not admit anything she'd done. "He approached me in the club one night. You and Heather had already left and... and it just... seemed to click."

That was an exaggeration. He'd been funny and nice, but nothing more.

"We talked for hours, about films and shows and music and so on. It was fun!" _Fun, and nothing more..._

"And he... didn't even want sex." _That much, at least, was true. For that one day, anyway..._

"And then he called me right the next day, asked whether I wanted to meet him for a drink and... and you know how I hate it when guys unnecessarily hold me in suspense, so I agreed..." _And why was she defending herself now, dammit?_

"And we talked for hours again..." _okay, maybe one hour..._ "before we spent the night in his flat and... and..."

She couldn't go on.

She felt her cheeks burn with embarrassment, felt her eyes sting with unshed tears. She didn't want to tell him that she'd slept with another man. He'd literally just run into her doing so, but still. It felt wrong, so wrong, when all she wanted was for him to take her into his arms, and tell her that it was alright, that he was here for her, that –

"Hey, that sounds great!" he said enthusiastically. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?"

Astrid felt as if a prize boxer had punched her in the guts. There was no air in her lungs for anything anymore, and she felt numb. That weird numbness that came before the pain kicked in for real. She had to get out of here!

Forcing something like a smile on her face, she threw him one last look before turning and leaving him standing.

_That sounds great..._

Once outside his room, she fought hard to stay quiet, to not scream at the Gods for taunting her like this, to not break down and cry until she had no tears left. Gods, what had she been thinking? Why would he be bothered by her meeting someone else? He was in a happy relationship, after all. Of course, he didn't mind.

She definitely needed those pralines in her wardrobe now... If only those weren't so closely linked to him as well. And if only there wasn't another man waiting in her bedroom for her.

Oh, she was so _fucked!_

For who knows how long, she stayed there in the corridor, unable to cope, and dreading the thought of either man finding her here. What was she supposed to do now?

But it was easy, wasn't it?

This had settled everything. _That sounds great!_ Hiccup wasn't interested in her. Never had been, and never would be. There was no point in pining for him, none at all.

Straightening her back, Astrid took a deep breath and let it out again.

She was strong.

She wouldn't let those unrequited feelings tear her down any longer.

She would choke those feelings down until they were dead and gone, until she could remember her silliness and laugh about it.

With the mask of a smile, she entered her bedroom where Eret lay on her bed and fiddled with his phone. He gave her just one worried look before he quickly finished whatever message he was typing, and then put his phone aside. He opened his arms for her and she cuddled into his embrace without hesitation.

"You okay?" he asked, frowning.

Still feeling like screaming, Astrid nodded. It was a lie, but just a small one. She wasn't okay, but she would be. Once she forgot that insensitive moron, she would be fine... would be _great!_

"You sure?" he dug deeper. "If there's anything I can do for you..."

She hesitated, but then shifted and turned until he was on top of her.

"You can," she whispered. "Help me forget."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got asked why I wrote his and the previous chapter...   
> I'm a bit sad that I need to explain that, but okay. I wrote these two chapters, because it's important to me to show the other side as well. I wanted to show how little Hiccup actually cared for Heather, and how skillfully she wrapped him around her little finger. He never really stood a chance...  
> And as for this one: I want to explain why Astrid didn't even try to fight for Hiccup when Heather showed up, and why she clung to Eret so desperately.


	17. Epilogue 7: Good Memories And Two Firsts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, here it is. It took a while because I'm already writing and plotting the next story.
> 
> As promised, we go back to happy Hiccstrid here. Fluff, and smut, and more fluff, and more smut, ending with fluff again. I hope you'll like it ;)

Grinning widely about the sober notification he'd just gotten on his phone, Hiccup dug for his keys, and opened the door to their flat. And then grinned even wider when he heard a stream of unashamed curses. Swiftly, he got rid of his jacket, grabbed the bag with his shopping, and entered the living room, eager not to miss the comical display.

As expected, Astrid was walking up and down in front of the large windows at the opposite side of the room. She looked beautiful in a tightly fitting red top and that sorry excuse of a skirt, even with that disgruntled expression on her face, hands running through her hair, and ranting into thin air.

Her phone, Hiccup noticed, lay on the kitchen counter, its display glowing with the signs of an active call, one unread message, and a muted microphone. He placed the shopping bag next to it on the counter, and walked over to take his girlfriend into his arms.

"That bad?" he asked, smirking into her hair where she couldn't see it.

"Worse!" she growled angrily. "I swear, if that old scarecrow doesn't stop changing his mind, I'll turn into an axe-murderer. This is the sixth time now. The _sixth_! I mean, I'm pretty sure I got what he was asking for. But every fucking time I send him my sketch, he comes up with another alteration. And then shouts at me for not being able to read his mind. Gods, why am I doing this again?"

Hiccup pressed his lips to her forehead, snickering inwardly, and felt her relaxing already in his arms. "Because you love your job," he murmured against her skin, making an effort to sound calm and serious. "Because this old man is just a client, and the company wouldn't have given us this assignment if they thought it unimportant or boring, because we're the best. Because you know he's probably doing it just to listen to your beautiful voice some more. Because you're a professional, and that weirdo is not worth your anger. And because you'll love it when I have to deal with him, once he's satisfied with your sketch."

Chuckling quietly, she snuggled closer into his embrace. "Right," she snickered. "That'll be fun to watch." She stretched to give him a light peck on his mouth, whispered a low "Thanks!" against his lips, and retreated before he could pull her in for a real kiss. "But I need to get back to being a professional now."

With a smile, she wound her way out of his embrace, snatched her phone from the counter, and hopped onto the sofa. "Mr Mildew? I'm sorry for this interruption. Now, I'm all yours again. So, what was it exactly that bothered you about that sketch?"

Hiccup watched her with a fond smile, then went to change into more comfortable clothes. When he returned to the living room, she was still sitting on the sofa, her head dropped back, and an unnerved expression on her face. Her replies to the seemingly endless stream of instructions coming from her phone had become noticeably monosyllabically, consisting only of short hums and monotonous yeses. A small grin crept across Hiccup's face, and he decided to distract her a bit, to put her professionalism to the test.

Quietly, he stepped closer and crouched down on the ground behind the sofa. She hadn't noticed him so far, and jumped a little when his hands began to play with her hair that hung in long golden waves down the backrest.

Lately, she almost always wore her hair down while they were home. It was something she hadn't done before, and it had taken her days to notice, and to realise _why_. And her explanation had made his heart sing. To her, her tightly braided hair represented some kind of mental wall, a shield. Only rarely had she felt comfortable and safe enough to let her hair down, during sex with those random guys the met in the club or in general. Eret had never seen her with her hair down, while she'd never thought twice about it when with Hiccup. This knowledge gave him a weird kind of satisfaction. Hiccup hated the other man with a passion, for everything he'd done to Astrid, for tricking her, and for hurting her when she was so vulnerable. Which had been his fault, and Hiccup would happily spend his lifetime making it up to her.

Slowly, he worked his way through her tresses, combing his fingers through them, and entangling them. Every now and then, his slight pulling on single strands made her hum in pleasure, sounds that, so far, mixed perfectly with her replies on the phone.

He went a step further, lifted his hands up to massage her scalp, fingernails lightly scraping over sensitive skin. Astrid shivered and fidgeted when he didn't stop. Her eyes were closed now, a small smile on her lips, and Hiccup doubted she was listening closely to Mr Mildew's explanations anymore.

With a cheeky grin, he brushed her hair aside, and brought his mouth toward the soft skin at her neck. His light kisses and nibbles left her whimpering quietly until, after a few minutes, he bit down into her shoulder. An urgent moan tore itself from her throat, one that startled her and made her clutch a hand over her mouth in shock.

Chuckling, Hiccup got back on his feet, and grinned at the incredulous look she threw him past her phone.

"N- no, I'm sorry, Mr Mildew," she said hastily. "Yes, I'm listening. I just... got cramps. Yeah, cramps, in my arm. Guess I need to move it more, maybe throw a few punches later or something." As she spoke, her gaze met his across the room, her eyes gleaming dangerously.

Unashamedly, Hiccup grinned back at her, and then unpacked his shopping. It wasn't much, just some ingredients for dinner. Getting them had been a spontaneous decision, a way to celebrate this day. One month might not be that long in terms of relationships, but, without a doubt, it had been the happiest month of his life.

He went about grating the different types of cheese – Gouda, Mozzarella, Cheddar, Brie, Parmesan, Swiss, Munster, and Monterey Jack – while listening with half an ear to Astrid's call. This particular client had been bothering her for almost a week now, and from the little Hiccup got his requests were pretty weird indeed. What was that about a sheep and... _a bed?_ Hiccup frowned, but then shrugged, and turned his focus back to the task at hand.

Once Astrid was done with her phone call, she came over to keep him company. She grabbed the bowl with the freshly grated cheese while he was busy getting out the large pasta pot and filling it with water, then lifted herself up onto one of the counters nearby to curiously watch him work.

"Mmh, to what do I owe the pleasure of you making Mac and Cheese for me?" she asked, tossing a bit of cheese into her mouth. "It's still two weeks until my birthday. Or is that supposed to be a bribe so you don't get punched after all? Because it works."

Smirking at her words, Hiccup reached past her for the salt and oil, not missing his chance to caress her rear and bare thighs. "Well, it's... been a while since the last time I made it," he replied, frowning slightly. He didn't like remembering that day. "And I thought today would be a good day to create some new memories. Good ones over the bad. Also, it's been a month... And it's Wednesday, we could return to old habits. You know, squish in a film night. Unless you need to finish those sketches for this impatient customer."

The last words, he said with a twinkle in his eyes, even though they, too, belonged to _that_ day. But dwelling on bad memories wouldn't do them any good, they both agreed on that. Instead, they were intent on drawing them back out again and repainting them with brighter colours.

Astrid smiled despite the hint of pain in her eyes. She didn't like to remember that day either. "That sounds like a great idea. And no, I don't need to finish those tonight. A film night would be great," she replied, stealing more cheese, and smirked at his scowl.

"You know, the more you eat now, the less will be in your dinner later," he pointed out good-humouredly, not mentioning that he'd bought more cheese than necessary anyway. He had expected her to swipe a bit after all. "But what was it our dear Mr Mildew asked for? Does he really want an erotic picture of a sheep in a bed?"

Astrid choked on the last bit of cheese as his joking words made her laugh. "Quite possibly," she wheezed. "At first it sounded like a metaphor. You know, something along the line of _'sleeping innocence'_. But by now, I'm not so sure anymore. It _does_ sound like that's what he's after. Weirdo. And he actually wants it to look like a real sheep. Not the usual furry-kink style with a humanised sheep-girl. Wouldn't be the first time we drew those, after all. Although, I still don't see what's so special about animals in bed."

"Oh, I don't know," he said with a grin, interrupted his preparations for now, and walked over to where she sat. Standing between her legs, he wrapped his arms around her waist, and leaned closer. "I quite like the lioness that's occupying my bed lately," he whispered into her ear.

She chuckled as his breath tickled on her neck, and wound her arms around his torso. "Miaow," she breathed, and lightly scraped her fingernails over his back, just where her marks on him were beneath his shirt.

Hiccup shuddered and growled, head spinning by how quickly the atmosphere between them had shifted. _Again!_ Gods, how he loved being with her, every aspect of it. He retreated, just enough to look her in the eyes, and saw the same spark of desire in them which had flared up inside him.

She pushed one hand up into his hair, pulling him into a deep kiss that hid nothing of her hunger, and he responded eagerly.

Kissing her was his personal drug; simply just too intoxicating to _not_ respond to it. His eyes fluttered shut, and, in a way, it hurt not to look at her. But at the same time, not being able to _see_ increased the sensibility of his other senses which made it perfectly bearable. All those sensations were _overwhelming_.

Her heat pouring into him, and the sensation of her soft lips moving with his...

The sweet taste of those lips, of salty cheese on her tongue, of _her_...

Her scent in each breath he managed to inhale in-between...

And her small noises which filled the air around them...

Oh, her _noises..._

Her desperate gasps for air...

Her low whimpers before she pulled him closer...

Her gentle sighs while she buried her hand in his hair...

Her small moans when he held her as tightly as he dared...

Her soft keening as their bodies pressed against each other...

Hiccup was losing himself in her careful noises – and he actually had before, frequently. He had no idea how long this kiss lasted already. It could have been only seconds or several hours. He didn't know, but he also didn't care.

As always, Hiccup lost track of _everything_ as he kissed Astrid. All he was aware of was her tongue sliding along his, her small gasps and whimpers, her hand clutching at his back and hair, pulling him in, and their bodies grinding against each other with persistence. His fingers were entangled in her long golden tresses, his fingertips scraping over her scalp, and he could feel her tremble and twitch every time he hit a sensitive spot. He could go on like this _forever._ Or so he thought...

"Did you get the same message I did?" she asked with bated breath after finally tearing herself away from his lips. Suggestively, she let one hand glide down his front. "The clearance?"

"Yes." His voice was hoarse with want, his cock already straining against the fabric of his boxers. The hiccupy breath she took at his answer didn't exactly let him soften either.

Her hand slid beneath his waistband without further hesitation. She moaned softly when she found him hard already from their heated kisses, and pushed down his trousers to fully expose him.

"Here?" he asked, a little breathless. She nodded, and he pushed her short skirt up – to find her bare beneath already. With a low growl, he let his hand drift over her exposed sex, slick and wet, already ready for him.

Astrid shifted closer toward the counter's edge, and wrapped her legs tighter around his waist, drawing him in.

For just a second, he paused, hesitated, drew the moment out a little bit longer. He watched the anticipation flare up high in her eyes, mirroring his own feelings, before, finally, pushing into her.

"Oh, Gods..." he whimpered at the overwhelming sensation. Being inside her was always wonderful, but this... The physical sensation of, finally, actually, feeling her, skin on skin, was intense. The _emotional_ aspect though...

There were no boundaries between them anymore, nothing that separated them, and it was amazing. They were one.

"Hic–" she gasped, rolling her hips to get him moving, and he complied.

He pushed into her, slowly at first, but quickly going faster and faster. His hand were on her rear, pulling her toward him in time with every one of his thrusts. Her urgent little noises spurred him on, and it took only minutes until they were both high, until Hiccup reached for her clit to push her over the edge completely. Mesmerised, he watched her eyelids flutter, listened to her crying out his name, and felt her clenching tightly around him, rippling along his length until he came as well, buried deep inside her, filling her.

Trembling and panting, they floated down from their mutual peak, leaning against one another, and basked in their closeness. He felt himself soften, but for once, there was no need to pull out, no risk of losing the condom. He held her tenderly, cradling her against his chest, as if to never _ever_ let her go again.

Astrid giggled, and her hand fluttered down to her stomach. "I can feel you," she whispered, grinning. "All bubbly and... and..." she shrugged, giggling some more, and he couldn't help his lips twitching as well.

"And I can feel you, too," he replied equally low. "All these little aftershocks–" he broke off as one of those rippled through her, squeezing him almost playfully, and they chuckled in unison.

"I love you, Astrid," he finally murmured, and kissed her sweetly. "Gods, I do..."

"Mmmmh, I love you, too," she hummed happily, nuzzling his neck.

"But now... Could you hand me the kitchen towels? I feel a bit leaky." She winked at him, and Hiccup snorted, but complied.

They cleaned up, themselves and the kitchen counter, before resuming their former tasks – cooking on Hiccup's part, and Astrid returned to the sofa to retrieve her discarded briefs.

For a while, they worked in companionable silence. It was so easy, so effortless. There was no need to fill every minute with meaningless chatter, no need to always _do_ something together. It was enough to simply _be_ together, to know the other one would be there if needed.

Hiccup could hear Astrid humming to herself while she worked, and it harmonized perfectly with the noises the boiling water made as he grated the rest of the cheese. It was the perfect background music as he added the butter, evaporated milk, and sour cream to the cooked pasta, seasoned the mixture, and then carefully added cheese and water until the creaminess was how Astrid liked it best.

"Okay, dinner is ready," he called over to her, and grinned as she scrambled off the sofa in a hurry.

Eating dinner went about just as easy and comfortable as everything else. They joked and teased one another, and talked about simple daily things like bike maintenance and an upcoming collaboration. Astrid ribbed him a bit by stating that his Mac and Cheese alone was worth staying with him forever, and Hiccup _accidentally_ dropped some pasta on her top while playfully feeding her with his spoon – and greatly enjoyed how she finished her meal topless.

Afterwards, they cleaned up the kitchen together – which turned into more of a water fight than actual cleaning – before they settled in for their film night, both of them dressed in fresh clothes after tossing their soaked outfits into the laundry to dry.

"And what did you have in mind?" Astrid asked as she placed two glasses with fruity lemonade and a bowl of nuts on the coffee table. "After cooking for me, it's your choice today. Although, I'm always up for _Doctor Who_ , as you know. How about _The End Of Time_? Donna is awesome as half a Doctor, and I love the bittersweet ending."

Hiccup looked at her thoughtfully, and, for a moment, actually considered it. But comforting her through the inevitable tears at the end was not how he wanted this day to end. Then he grinned as he remembered something else.

"No, I have another idea," he countered. "Make yourself comfortable, while I get the Blu Ray from my room."

"What's it doing in your room?" she called after him as he left the living room.

"I... ahm... couldn't stand it lying around here when I bought it," he called back. "And then I _forgot_ that I bought it."

"What is it?" she replied, looking up at him as he returned.

But instead of an answer, he just stared at her. His heart made a painful _thud_ when he saw her lying on the sofa, on _that_ sofa, the one neither of them had even sat on in nearly two months. The memory of the last time she'd sat there rose in his mind, and it made him feel ill. Her eyes met his, and she gave him a cautious smile.

"Good memories over bad ones, right?" she reminded him quietly, and, after a moment's hesitation, he nodded. Slowly, he walked over to her, legs still a bit shaky.

"So, what film do you have there?" she asked in a clear attempt to change the subject.

Hiccup shook off the bad feeling the memory had triggered, and returned to the here and now. She was right, after all. No dwelling on bad memories.

With a small smile, he held out the case of _Thor: Ragnarok_ to her. "I've heard this is a good one. No idea if it's true though, I didn't notice much of the film when I went to watch it."

A wide grin spread across her face. "Perfect!" she exclaimed, beaming.

He plugged it in, and then climbed over her to lie behind her on the comfortable sofa. It felt good to wrap his arm around her waist, to pull her closer against his chest, and to inhale the scent of her hair with every breath he took as the TV flickered to life and Marvel's starting theme played out. It felt good enough to not constantly think about how Eret had been in exactly this position before, during that other film night. And it felt good enough for him to decide that it didn't matter anyway.

It didn't matter what Eret or Heather had done. Not that particular event and nothing else either. All that mattered was that he and Astrid were together now, and that they would do whatever felt good and right, without letting any past events influence them.

It felt good to hold her, to feel her. She was warm and soft and everything he needed. Funny, and witty, and loving, and, oh, so wonderful. He leaned down to place another kiss on her hair, and felt her relax in his arms.

For a while, they simply watched the film, cuddling comfortably. His hand moved over her, slowly and innocently at first, caressing her waist and wandering down to her belly button. She shook with silent giggling as his touch tickled her, her vibrating body against his distracting him.

Without really intending to, his hand wandered on, up her arm, over her shoulder, and brushed her hair aside so he could place light kisses on her soft skin. Humming contently, she rolled her head to the side to give him better access, and leaned back against him until her cute ass pressed against his groin.

Hiccup inhaled sharply as he realised where they were going, but was far from complaining. This, too, had been one of his fantasies, after all. Smirking to himself, he kept his mouth on her neck, nibbling and licking teasingly, while his hand drifted onwards to her breasts, kneading them carefully and pinching her hardening nipples through her fresh shirt. Then he wandered down further still, over her taut stomach, and down between her legs.

Astrid was writhing beneath his touch by now, taking in short and panting breaths. After turning the volume of the TV down, she'd turned to look up at him through clouded eyes, and Hiccup couldn't look away from her.

And he didn't need to, either.

His fingers knew what to do, even without him seeing it. Slowly, they glided over the fabric of her briefs with just enough pressure to let her feel him. Then they teased her further, rubbing her clit through the thin lace, pressing between her folds. When he pushed the fabric aside to really touch her, she moaned and strained toward his touch, needing it, needing _more_.

But he wanted to take his time. He wanted to lazily play with her body, and watch her twist and tremble. There was no hurry, no hunger for relief, just the simple pleasure of the moment. She was so beautiful like this, hands clenching at his shirt and the cushions below.

When he pushed his fingers into her, first one, then a second, her back arched into his touch, and he watched in rapture as she fought to keep her eyes on him. It didn't take much from there, just a little crooking of his fingers, a little rubbing of his thumb over her clit, until her quivering body became stiff for a second, only to wildly thrash and spasm a moment later. Her orgasm came with a beautifully sinful moan as her eyes rolled back into her head, and then fluttered shut in bliss.

He would never... never... _never_ get enough of her.

"Mhhh, yeah," Astrid hummed lazily after regaining her senses. "Definitely a good memory." She gazed up at him with a dreamy look on her face that spoke of love and happiness. Then she whispered, "Come here, you," and pulled him down to kiss him.

Hiccup adjusted his position in an attempt not to crush her beneath him. He'd _meant_ to let his hand, that still rested over her sex, glide down to prop himself up on the sofa as her surprisingly swift move left him with few other options. He'd _not_ meant for his slick fingers to virtually stick to her skin and glide over her ass instead.

Astrid's low groan and the realisation of where _exactly_ he was touching her drained his face of all blood. "I-I'm sorry," he sputtered, pulling his hand back in a hurry – only to let it glide _again_ over that taut circular muscle! "Shit! Ah... sorry, I... I didn't mean..."

His stammered apology got interrupted by her light chuckle, and Hiccup hoped that his slip-up hadn't angered her in any way.

"Why are you sorry?" she asked drowsily.

He swallowed, hastily drew his hand away from her, and sat up straight. "I didn't... didn't mean to touch you... _there._ I mean... I know that... that..."

"That what?" she continued when he lost himself in his sputtering, and looked up at him curiously. Then light dawned in her eyes. She relaxed back into the cushions, and, with a small smile on her lips, said, "Ah, don't worry. I don't mind. It's been a while since I had anal sex anyway. I'm more than up for it."

She was joking, right? Teasing him as a punishment for his slip-up? Yeah, that had to be it. Hiccup's vision swam out of focus as the image of him sinking into her pert ass rose in his mind. Hastily, he chased it away, aware of how his cock twitched eagerly at the idea. She _hadn't_ been serious. She couldn't have been.

"Hah, funny," he said shakily, and reached for his glass on the coffee table with a trembling hand. "I'm really sorry, okay? Won't happen again, I promise."

Astrid's quiet chuckling was a bit disconcerting.

"Too bad," she hummed. "But if you don't want to, that's alright."

He threw her a measuring look. She _sounded_ serious. But that couldn't be true, right?

"You... you can stop joking now, Astrid," he stammered as more images appeared behind his eyes. But he didn't even _dare_ to actually imagine... that would... she would _kill_ him!

"I'm not joking."

"Astrid," he pleaded. "It's alright, I learned my lesson. I know that... that women don't like anal sex. And I would... I would never ask for something you don't want to do."

She gave him a long measuring look before sitting up as well. "Hiccup... I _do_ like it," she said earnestly. "It just depends on enough prep and lube." She shrugged offhandedly, and reached for her glass as well.

**. o O o .**

Smiling inwardly, Astrid sipped at her lemonade. Hiccup was simply too good to be true.

Most men she'd been with hadn't even hesitated for a second whenever she'd indicated she would be up for anal sex.

But Hiccup? No, he was different, of course, he was. She'd blatantly offered it to him, and he still wouldn't go for it out of fear she wouldn't like it. And he clearly wasn't averse to anal sex, either. On the contrary. She'd seen how his cock had grown and twitched at the mere mentioning.

Carefully, she glanced back at him. He sat still, his glass in one hand, the other one opening and closing absentmindedly. He had a strange look on his flushed face, a mixture of lust and curiosity, but also worry and nervousness.

After taking his glass out of his hand and placing both back on the table, she crawled onto his lap to straddle him.

"I really mean it," she murmured into his ear. "I'm more than up to it if you want to."

Hiccup gave a weird strangled noise, and placed his hands on her waist, but only to remove them a second later again. She could feel his cock beneath her, straining against his jogging trousers. Why was he so reluctant if he clearly wanted it?

Then an idea occurred to her, and she retreated to look at him again.

"You've had anal sex before, right?" she asked, incredulously. Surely, he had. He was _Hiccup Haddock!_ He'd literally had sex with hundreds of girls. Surely, he-

"No, I haven't," he replied, voice barely more than a whisper. Biting his lip, he looked away, almost as if he was... _embarrassed?_ "I... I didn't want to pressure them for anything that, surely, they wouldn't want to do. And I've never been with one of them long enough to figure out what else she might like. And..." he swallowed, frowning. "And Heather made pretty clear what she'd do if I ever dared to venture into that direction." He grimaced, though whether due to the reminder of Heather or what she'd threatened him with, Astrid couldn't tell.

With a small smile tugging at her lips, she reached for his hands and placed them back on her waist before leaning in to brush her lips against his.

"Well, I'm _not_ Heather," she teasingly mumbled against his mouth, and it had the desired effect.

Hiccup chuckled and relaxed, holding her more firmly again. "No, you're most definitely not," he agreed, but then paused. "Does it... bother you? That I'm not as... as _experienced_ in that area? I mean, I... I'd love to try, but..." Helplessly, he lifted his shoulders only to let them slump down again. Gods, he was so _adorable._

"No, it doesn't bother me," she whispered, dropping her head to avert her eyes "It... it means I can be your first. I–" she took a deep breath as the full meaning of those words hit her. "I... didn't expect that. But I like it," she added, chuckling weakly.

Hiccup chimed in a moment later, nuzzling into her neck. "My first, my last, my one and only," he mumbled, making her giggle even more.

"So, _do_ you want to try?" she asked after they'd calmed down again, feeling like he wouldn't approach that topic on his own again.

And sure enough, he started to fidget nervously right away. "Now?" he asked, his voice noticeably higher than usual.

Astrid fought not to chuckle or even grin at that. He _was_ nervous, no point in teasing him further. "Sure, why not?" she asked as casually as she could. "I'm already fairly relaxed, and as far as I can tell, you're definitely hard enough." Okay, maybe a little teasing was acceptable...

"Yeah, I guess so," he replied with a shaky laughter, his hands running distractedly up and down her sides. "So... erm... what do you... ah... need me to do?"

"Mmhh... we need lube. And a condom wouldn't hurt either. We should have a few spare now, I think. Mind getting those? I have lube in my bedside table, second drawer, back left corner. Oh, and some baby wipes?"

The speed with which Hiccup lifted her off his lap and disappeared into the hallway that led to her room was honestly hilarious. Astrid had to bit her lip pretty hard as not to laugh out loud at his eagerness. He was back in record time, eyes gleaming in anticipation.

"Okay, what now?" he asked after they'd both stripped and were settled on the sofa again.

"Now, I need a little prep," she said, smirking at his member standing at full attention. "I won't be able to take you without."

She lay back, and showed him how to do it, how to massage her sphincter muscle until it permitted first one lubricated finger and then more. She let him try, and quickly began to enjoy the feeling of him fingering her open. Yes, she had long since learned to enjoy this kind of treatment, but having Hiccup doing it still felt so much _better_.

"Okay, that's enough," she gasped when he had three fingers easily wiggled into her.

He seemed mesmerised, and barely even registered her words, his dilated eyes glued to her body and how it was able to stretch.

"Hiccup?" she addressed him more directly, and, finally, he reacted.

"Mmmh?" came his distracted answer as he absentmindedly reached for a baby wipe to clean his hand. But at least his gaze returned to her face, if a little clouded.

Astrid sat up, and drew him into a deep kiss. She'd meant to distract him, to ease his nervousness, but it rather served to throw them both off track for a bit. His heavy body pressed her down into the cushions as he lay above her, barely remembering to support himself as he kissed her hungrily. He was all hands ravaging her hair and tongue ravaging her mouth, all skin sliding over skin. She let her hands roam up his back, searching and finding the scratches she'd marked him with, and he growled as her fingers brushed over them. A second later, his mouth was on her neck, biting and sucking, and she arched up against him in response. Gods, she _needed_ to have him inside her, and soon.

"What now?" he growled against her skin. He sounded so eager, and yet he still gave her the lead.

"Condom. And more lube," Astrid replied, panting, her arousal betraying her own eagerness as well.

**. o O o .**

Hiccup followed every single one of Astrid's instructions. He still could barely believe that she actually wanted to do this, but he trusted her. He trusted her that she wouldn't do anything like this just for his sake alone.

With practised ease, he sheathed his cock, and whined needily when Astrid applied bounteous amounts of lube to both him and herself at the same time. This was really happening!

Then she turned, forearms resting on the sofa's backrest, and butt invitingly pointing in his direction.

"Like this?" he asked a little confused, but kneeled down between her legs nonetheless. He'd wanted to see her face, see her reactions, whether he hurt her or anything. As much as he was looking forward to this, he didn't want to _hurt_ her.

"Yeah, it'll be easier that way," she replied, pushing back against his cock. "Just... stay still for a moment, okay? Let me..." she trailed off as his tip brushed over her hole, and they both gasped.

 _Ohgodsohgodsohgods_ , was all Hiccup was able to think as she slowly pushed back against him. Without _much_ resistance, his tip slipped inside her, and his mind went utterly blank. She pushed further, and he _watched_ himself sink into her, unable to come up with a single coherent thought.

"So tight..." he whimpered when her cheeks were pressed against his stomach, a sound that Astrid mimicked.

"Mmh... big..."

With shaking fingers, he reached for her, rubbing her back and holding her hips. He fought to further keep still, even though all he wanted was to move, to fuck into her soft and hot body. But he would be good, would wait for her to go on.

It took her a few seconds, seconds in which she twitched and clenched around his cock, seconds during which he thought he might go insane at any moment. But then she stirred, carefully pulling away, only to push back on him again. The movement elicited a moan from them both, and her head dropped down on her arms.

"Okay," she gasped, "Your turn. Just... go slowly at first, okay? It's been a while..."

Hiccup whimpered again, and nodded, forgetting that she couldn't see that. He grabbed her hips tighter, took a shaky breath, and began to move.

It felt weird, different. Slick with all the lube, so tight, so _fucking tight_ , and hot as Hel. He pushed in and out of her, hesitantly, and tried to concentrate on being as gentle as he could be.

Astrid squirmed beneath is hands, trembled and twitched. Then she suddenly pushed back against him, just as he was about to push back in, making his thrust much harder than planned. She groaned loudly, and Hiccup stilled immediately.

"S-Sorry," he gasped. "Did... did I hurt you?"

Astrid, her face buried in the crook of her arm, shook her head. "No," she whimpered. "Didn't hurt... just... Gods..." She shivered, muscles clenching around him.

"Do you want me to stop?" he asked, worried. He let his hands glide up her smooth back in an attempt to distract them both.

"No!" came her urgent reply. "No, don't stop. Gods, no. Please–" she broke off, voice caught in her throat as she began to move on her own again.

And Hiccup understood.

She'd been serious.

She _liked_ it.

He began to move again, carefully pushing into her tight channel, and her answering moans and whimpers were all the reassurance he needed. Soon, he became more confident, moved with more purpose, became a little faster, thrust a little harder, when her reactions kept spurring him on.

"Gods, Hiccup. Harder!" she begged, voice rough and needy.

Groaning, he complied, went harder, and faster, and harder still when she kept begging for more. Gods, she _never_ got vocal like this. Soon, he was covered in sweat, and panting heavily. He fought not to come too early, to drag it out for her as long as possible, but it was hard. Thor almighty, she felt so _good._

"Fuck... Astrid, I... nng... I..." he growled, vision blurring. He was close, so close to losing it. Only a few more thrusts, he wouldn't be able to hold out any longer. Her moans grew in volume, and somehow she seemed to tighten even more around him. It felt like she was choking him, sucking him in even deeper, and it was too much for him.

"Gods, yes! Aahh- Astrid! I... _Fuck!_ " Hiccup shouted as he came, buried deep inside her. Her lustful noises carried him through his height and down afterwards. He tried to go on, as she wasn't done yet. But he softened too quickly, utterly spent after she'd milked him so thoroughly.

"Mmmhh, sorry," he mumbled against her back, embarrassed, and yet still stunned by the intense experience. Carefully, he pulled off the condom and wrapped it into a baby wipe, before slumping down onto the sofa. Mixed feelings crept up in his heart as Astrid snuggled into his side. For him, it had been _great_ , but for her... he hadn't been good enough for her.

"Don't be sorry," she sighed happily. "That was fantastic, even better than I remembered. Or maybe it was just because it was _finally_ you," she added, sounding thoughtful and completely serious.

For a while, Hiccup didn't reply. His arm lay limply over her shoulder, but he didn't dare to touch her further, and he wasn't sure what to do. "But you didn't come," he finally stated, eyes cast down. Sure, this had been his first anal sex, and he obviously had no experience there. And they didn't always climax together, and he could easily get her off otherwise. But still... No matter how much logic he applied, the nagging feeling wouldn't go away.

Not until Astrid chuckled quietly at his side.

"I never do from this," she murmured sleepily against his skin.

Hiccup frowned, and tried to make any rhyme or reason of her words, but finally gave up. "But you said you like anal sex. And now you say you can't come from it? That... that doesn't make much sense."

She sat up to look at him, probably finally sensing his mood. She smiled softly, and leaned in to peck his lips, before she explained, "It feels amazing. Not sure if you noticed, but I really enjoyed it. And I don't need an orgasm for this to feel good. I came before already, that's enough. For now, at least."

He gave her a long, scrutinising look, but then nodded. "You could have said that before, you know?" he pouted. Her explanation was enough for him. She _had_ enjoyed it, that much had been obvious after all. But he didn't want to let her off the hook that easily.

But Astrid didn't fall for it.

"I could have," she grinned. "But that would have made you only even more reluctant. Now, you believe me at least." She cuddled back against his chest, and this time, he took her into his arms properly.

For a couple of minutes, they simply sat there, quietly basking in the afterglow, before Astrid pushed herself up on wobbly legs. It looked almost comically as she stumbled toward the bathroom, as if her legs weren't working right anymore.

"When did you get so drunk?" he asked teasingly as she returned in the same manner. It really looked funny.

But Astrid just poked her tongue out in reaction, and slumped back onto the sofa. "Very funny," she stated flatly, smirking at him good-humouredly. "Get used to it, that's how I'll be walking for the rest of the day. And tomorrow, too, probably. Your fault entirely!"

Sobering up in an instant again, Hiccup pushed himself up to give her a serious look. "Did I hurt you after all?" he asked anxiously. "Gods, Astrid, you should have stopped me. I didn't want to hurt you."

"You didn't hurt me," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "It's just because of all those loosened-up muscles. I won't be able to walk straight for a day or so. And I won't be able to sit without my butt stinging for a couple more days, but that's alright."

"Astrid," he began, worried, but she interrupted him directly.

"It's fine, Hiccup! It's just a bruise. Every time I sit down my butt will sting, and I'll remember this amazing hot sex we had. And, damn, did you fuck me good!" she said dreamily. Then she awkwardly climbed onto his lap, facing him, and wound her arms around his neck. Her hands lightly caressed the almost completely healed scratches she'd left on his back over a week ago. "It's like these, sweet little reminders. Just funnier, for you at least." She grimaced, but he could see the amused glint in her eyes.

"Alright," he accepted her explanation. But she would have to live with getting pampered for a few days, he decided. Just to make it up to her.

Smiling warmly, she leaned in and kissed him. Maybe it was simply meant as a short peck, but it ended in a long and intense liplock, one of those where neither noticed the passing of time anymore.

What finally tore them out of enjoying each other was the music.

"I swear, if that menu theme plays even one more time, I'm going to throw the Blu Ray player out of the window," Astrid mumbled, voice saturated by humour despite her unnerved words.

"Totally understandable," Hiccup agreed. "Another thing though... have you noticed anything about the film? Because... I haven't," he added, grinning.

"No, me neither," she replied, giggling. "I guess we'll need to watch it again. How awful..."

"Mmmh, horrible," he chimed in, but then became serious again, if a little corny maybe. "I'd watch it a thousand times with you. And maybe, we'll even make it through it one day."

"Oh, I plan to accomplish that today," she said, sounding quite determined, and reached for the remote controller.

"Maybe we should skip the first twenty minutes or so, though," he mused. "You know, to turn the odds in our favour." They shared a look, and then simultaneously shook their heads.

"No, those are too fantastic already," Astrid giggled. "I want to see Thor sassing out Surtur while dangling on that chain again. And Loki falling for thirty minutes. We can't miss that!"

They made themselves comfortable on the sofa again, cuddled together under one of their soft blankets, and started the film again.

And this time, they actually managed to watch it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I hope this was enough in forms of compensation for the previous two chapters ;)
> 
> It also was the last of the epilogues I planned to write. There are at least two more I want to write from your prompts, namely the handcuff-story and ten years later. But I'm not sure when I'm going to write those, as I want to focus more on my next project from now on. Stay tuned ;)

**Author's Note:**

> I'd love to get some comments :o) Anything would be welcome!


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